Dragon Heartstrings
by Nova.81
Summary: Circumstances bring them together in the present, until they both learn that they're running from a connected past. But then she starts tugging at all his dragon heartstrings and he's drawn to her like the proverbial moth to a flame ... Only he knows if they desire a future together, they must first overcome the odds! (AU: Draco & Ginny; Mature, Explicit content inside)
1. Chapter 1

**NB:** This is my first Draco and Ginny fic. I've always been a Draco fan, right from the first book because he's a complex, contradicting character with a bad boy attitude, what's not to like? Also I find his drawling sarcasm and witty, cruel sense of humour sexy. Yes I'm very weird but I also come from a fandom where we romanticise an alien prince who's responsible for planetary destruction and mass genocide; all in the name of love and because he has the sexiest arse ever. Death Eater Draco, yeah sure! Annnnnnyway, I have been a staunch canon shipper so I never felt like I could do Draco justice. Then I wrote Draco in a Harry/Ginny fic … Ooops!

Draco and Ginny just sorta did their own thing from there on out and I stumbled upon real, natural chemistry. So I read some gorgeous D/G fics and I finally learned about the entire Fire and Ice/Romeo and Juliet concept. I loved it and '_Dragon Heartstrings'_ was born.

However this fic is for mature readers only as it contains bad language and sexual content. If you're looking for unicorn and rainbows – hit back right this instant. My stories are really heavy on emotion and while this is primarily a romance there will be huge doses of drama, angst, action and suspense in between. Ye been warned! Fear not, my author's notes are only this long in the beginning as I like to give fair warning and will appear at the end of chapters from here on out.

Remember, while thoughts and constructive criticism is appreciated, flames are not! If you do not like what you're reading please be respectful enough and ignore MY story; I can't please everyone. Great, happy reading all!

**WARNINGS:**** Bad language and character death!**

**For my best Friend ****Ritz**** who's such an incredible sounding board for all my weird plot ideas and for encouraging me to take on a Draco/Ginny story. Hopefully she'll read my work as she used to before! **

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**Dragon Heartstrings**

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_**Prologue **_

_**May 1998**_

**GINNY** Weasley did not think the last time she saw the boy she loved, would be the last time he was alive. That she would witness Harry Potter – ironically the boy who lived – die …

Ginny was held by fistfuls of her long red hair, her back arching as Bellatrix Lestrange placed a cold dagger against her throat. She was afraid to swallow or breathe lest the sharp knife cut into her skin.

The room was stretched taut with an eerie silence that made the other occupants present finger the necks of their robes uncomfortably. Voldemort, the darkest wizard of her time was pacing the small room in frustration, the soft rustle of his moving robes striking fear in every heart there on that night. Ginny herself was certain her own heart would explode from being caught in the midst of such a dangerous situation.

Then _he_ came. Walked in with his bloody, soiled clothes yet managing to still look extremely unruffled in a room with his mortal enemy and a handful of Death Eaters. His visible bravery reigniting some of Ginny's dying courage as she struggled against Bellatrix's hold.

"Harry." Ginny cried out. His green, green eyes only flickered to her for a second, angry and flashing before turning to glare fiercely at the Dark Lord. If Harry's menacing stare had been directed at her Ginny was sure she would have squirmed.

"I'm here now, let her go." Harry spoke directly to Voldemort not a hint of fear in his hard voice.

Voldemort's cold laugh was high and shrill and it grated on every one of Ginny's last nerves. Then she heard Bellatrix cackle behind her and the inner circle of Voldemort's Death Eaters joined in falsely with their master. Ginny struggled against Bellatrix again, the smell of blood and sweat combined with the deep gash on her forehead making her light headed. Bellatrix placed the dagger more firmly against her neck and Ginny's futile wriggling ceased. She noticed Harry's shoulders tense at her position and love for him burst forward from her heavy heart.

"Ah Harry, how lovely of you to join me here tonight." Voldemort said in a fallaciously polite voice. As if he had not captured Ginny during the Battle of Hogwarts to lure Harry there.

"I was coming to you either way Tom, there was no need to drag Ginny into this as well." Uncomfortable shifting was heard at how Harry addressed Lord Voldemort and the wizard himself became furious. His red eyes flashed dangerously and his lizard like skin became more pallid. Voldemort chose to ignore Harry's slight though.

"Yes, I am sure you would have. However, I've heard that Miss Weasley is so close to you Harry, is that true?" When Harry did not answer Voldemort gave a humourless smile. A cruel tug of his thin lips. Then he raised his wand and Harry was writhing on the ground in pain. No sound escaped Harry's mouth though as Voldemort's wand held the Cruciatus curse mercilessly on him.

"_**Stop it!"**_ Ginny screamed as more tears over Harry's situation flowed from her big, brown eyes.

Voldemort stopped only to levitate Harry off the floor and onto the stone dais that had been raised purposefully there. She watched helplessly as Voldemort walked over to Harry who was now bound to the stone bed by rusty looking manacles.

"She has something of mine, Harry and I want it back of course." Voldemort whispered into Harry's ear. "Since simply killing you has become such a tedious affair Harry, I thought why not make you suffer first. You deserve that much after all the lucky escapes you have made. So I thought why not take yours too. Really it would do you no good when you're dead." The Dark Lord stood up again and caressed Harry's now pale face with the tip of his wand.

Then Voldemort pressed his wand into Harry's cheek forcefully. Harry began to jerk maniacally as if he were being electrocuted. When Voldemort finally pulled back the offending wand with a flourish Harry opened his pained eyes and glared at Voldemort. Ginny could only imagine the gruelling pain Harry must have been feeling then, not only from Voldemort's torture but his scar too and yet the dark haired wizard refused to vocalise his pain. Not even a squeak escaped his clenched jaw.

"Do not fret Harry, it does not matter whether you are dead or alive for this ancient ritual to work. Therefore you will die tonight, Harry Potter. All in due time, boy."

The moment Bellatrix dropped the dagger from Ginny's neck she made to lunge at Voldemort, however she was hit by a full body curse from Lucius Malfoy while Kaos Nott walked over towards Harry. Ginny felt hopelessness well inside of her while her every limb remained paralysed.

Rodolphus Lestrange scraped at her blood with a small blade after Bellatrix threw her to the wooden floorboards of the Shrieking Shack. Ginny wondered where the others were. Surely Harry had not come here by himself. Ron and Hermione couldn't be far away. The Order, her parents, their friends – they would save them.

Ginny's mind raced with panic as the minutes trickled by. She was then picked up and placed next to Harry. She could only stare at the ceiling subsequently as dark robed figures moved around her. No doubt they were drawing ancient runes around Harry and her. Spells were muttered and a dark red light started to glow around Ginny. Even with her entire body numbed, her chest seemed to expand with an inexplicable force. She couldn't breathe, couldn't move and something was pressing down on her powerfully, suffocating her. Then there was a flash of blinding white light and suddenly Ginny could move again.

She heard shouted spells and screams of pain while debris rained down around her. Before she could move a body loomed over her as a shield charm flowed around them, stray spells and falling wood bouncing of their protection harmlessly. Ginny looked up into a familiar pair of emerald green eyes. She reached out a hand to touch his face in relief, her heart soaring in her chest as he bent down and kissed her quickly.

That was the last moment Ginny had been truly happy.

The Shrieking Shack was a fury of burning flames when Harry pulled her off the dais and stood protectively before her. She wished she had a wand to duel with at Harry's side instead of having to hide behind him.

"_Avada Kedavra." _

Green light spurted forward from Voldemort's wand. It happened so quickly Ginny could only stare at it in horror. Instead of moving away from the deadly curse though Harry stuck out both his hands and shielded Ginny, taking the curse full on. Right through his chest.

"_**No!"**_ Ginny screamed. She dropped down with the weight of Harry falling on her. That was the last thing Ginny's mind accurately registered that night. Not even Voldemort dropping down limply in the burning smoke, as she screamed for Harry infiltrated her shocked brain. Every other movement or shout was a blur from a torrent of tears that never seemed to end. Disbelief clouded her mind and she felt more light headed than before. Harry was not dead. His was simply stunned or cursed, but he was not dead.

She did not feel the strong hands pulling her around her waist as the ceiling of the Shrieking Shack caved in. Whoever had been tugging at her had only just managed to pull her away before flaming, wooden beams fell from the ceiling. When Ginny opened her eyes again she could not see Harry anywhere. Crawling on her knees she moved back the burning embers, uncaring of the melting flesh of her palms as she tired to move through the rubble. She had to find Harry. She was dragged kicking and screaming out of the haze of thick black smoke and raging fire as the shack burned to ashes around them.

Up in the sky an ugly skeletal face made of the blackest smoke ever seen rose into the air. The lipless mouth opened and a blood curdling scream filled the night air as chaos raged all around her, worse than the flames in the air. A thunderous roar cracked through the night air as the Shrieking Shack exploded in a mighty blast of fire. Its aftermath was like a heatwave that sent everyone who had managed to escape the Shack sprawling backwards. That was the last thing Ginny remembered before her world went black.

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"She'sthe catalyst, isn't she?" Ron Weasley asked in the hopes that someone would deny his words, tell him otherwise, call him daft as they normally did when he was wrong.

No one answered him this time though. The other eight people in the room continued to stare at the pale, lifeless looking girl on the bed. Her skin ghastly and her hair once so vibrant now lay lank and flat around her. They had just won a war yet there was no feeling of victory amongst any of them. Grief for their lost loved ones weighed heavily on all their shoulders. However it was the position of their surviving family members that ripped at the shreds of their torn hearts. It settled on their chests, constricting the air in their lungs until they couldn't breathe properly any longer.

"She was the only one who ever came into such close proximity with them both. She shared her heart and soul with them." Kingsley Shakelbolt's usually booming voice was grim. "She is a powerful witch on her own merit as well, it is no wonder he wanted to use her. She had a lot to offer him, more so to hurt Har – " The dark skinned wizard broke off abruptly and everyone else shifted uncomfortably in the room. No one could bare the thought of Harry Potter being dead.

Molly Weasley sobbed. Harry and Fred, two of her beloved sons gone forever while her daughter lay on the brink of death. This was not the life she had imagined, dreamed of for her only daughter. The first female to be born after seven generations.

None of the Weasley men could bear to look at the frail, unconscious girl lying helplessly before them for they should have taken better care of her. Not even seventeen as yet and already broken. They had failed her and guilt was a difficult emotion to swallow, its bitter taste vile and choking. Especially when they were powerless to do anything but watch her suffer. Every small pain that she felt was like a dagger through their hearts.

"What do we do now?" It was the one question no one wanted to ask but hung in the air around them like a foul stench. Hermione Granger was too wise to stay stuck in the past. If they were ever going to move forward, this was the place to start. Eight heads turned to look at Kingsley expectantly.

"We tell her as much of the truth as she can handle now, until she is ready to hear it all. Then we let her decide for herself. She'll be seventeen in a couple of months."

"This is Ginny we're talking about. Can you imagine how she's going to react?" George Weasley spoke for the first time that day. It would most likely have been him in the situation his baby sister found herself in, had Ginny not fell first. Had George felt like he had the right to actually slip in and out of fitful comas after his loss then it would have been him. Only the worry that marred his family's faces now held him together.

"Then it'll be her choice but she'd be better off away from it all."

They hated to agree but what choice did they have really? No one could come up with a better solution and so they all settled down heavily that night. Watching. Waiting for her to awake. Then their new lives would start. And they knew then, nothing would ever be the same again.

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_**Chapter One**_

_Seven Years Later …_

**GINNY **Weasley stared at the injured man on the bed in shock. Even covered in bandages she recognised him immediately. Although his pointy face had now filled out into all sharp angles and planes making him look handsome, aristocratic even, instead of skinny and pointy. Her bright brown eyes darted across his body and she could see that he was no longer scrawny either. Toned muscles visible on his bare chest, long legs now lean and strong.

Ginny noticed the dark mark was also visible on his arm and she shuddered. She may not have liked the boy she knew in her past but that had been years ago. He had served his punishment fairly and did not deserve to be continuously questioned for his past transgressions. If anyone saw the mark here he would be escorted immediately to Des'Carcera. It would take months for the English Ministry to clear his name and the French prison was not somewhere anyone wanted to vacation in. The French still had Dementors swarming their fortress. Dark, dreary beings worse than the ones back home had been. And Ginny could remember their rattling, foul breaths clearly. No, no one deserved that kind of inhumanity.

So she walked over to Draco Malfoy and took out her wand. Gripping her wand tightly Ginny reached with her free hand for Malfoy's left arm, feeling faintly uncomfortable while holding his strong forearm. Before she could cast a quick glamour charm however Malfoy's right hand shot out to grip her hand. His long fingers painfully strong around her slender wrist. Ginny gasped as his stormy grey eyes opened to rest on her face. Sharp and cold, there was no emotion brewing there, no warmth at all and Ginny squirmed beneath his penetrating stare. She tried to pull her hand away from his hold but even with his injuries his grasp was strong.

He swallowed with a small moan and Ginny could only imagine how thirsty he must be after all the potions he had been given. His eyes narrowed at her wand with a small, humourless smirk playing on his mouth and Ginny did not understand why he was giving her that cold, hard half smile of his. Then one neatly shaped, pale eyebrow arched effortlessly at her. Did he have to look so condescending? She had her wand out on him. Prat.

"I was trying to cover your lovely mark here, Malfoy." Ginny hissed sharply as she looked at his dark mark pointedly before staring defiantly into his eyes again.

She watched as he frowned at her and she realised that she had used his name. His intelligent eyes looked over her face before moving to her hair. His eyes sparked with recognition then. "A Weasley, just my luck." He fell back on his covers and let go of her hand.

Ginny massaged her wrist as she glared at him. He let out a dark chuckle that came out dry before turning into wracking coughs. Ginny's Healer instincts immediately kicked in and she reached for the goblet of water from his nightstand. She went towards him and placed the goblet to his mouth before using her other hand to raise the back of his head so he could drink better. The hair that escaped around his bandages was soft and fine to touch, like silky baby's hair but thick nonetheless. He eyed her suspiciously over the rim of his goblet but drank the water she offered. He gulped gratefully and Ginny felt empathy for him at how helpless he looked then. When Ginny moved the goblet away she noticed some water had dribbled down his strong chin. She mechanically wiped at the water with her thumb, her other fingers lying gently below his chin, something she had done with her nieces and nephews countless times before. His eyes narrowed at her and Ginny drew back her hand brusquely. She rubbed her fingers together behind her back as she looked at him uncomfortably.

He sighed wearily, choosing to ignore her inappropriate behaviour and closed his eyes again, a deep breath pushing out his broad chest. "Thank you." His voice was deeper now, stronger and more in control but Ginny could only stare at him in fascination. Had a Malfoy just thanked her?

At her silence one grey eye peeked open as he watched her surprised face and she could see amusement flare in his eye before he opened the other. Ginny could only nod feebly. "You're welcome." She said softly. That was when his eyes roved over her entire figure, from the roots of her fiery red hair – scraped back in a no-nonsense bun – to the tips of her scuffed pumps peeking beneath her Healer robes. She expected to see loathing in his eyes, the mocking kind he reserved only for her family, yet his look was simply assessing. There was nothing but curiosity in his grey gaze.

"'You're a Healer now?" He asked rhetorically and Ginny noticed something light up in his grey eyes before he blinked and it disappeared. Were there blue sparks in his eyes? Surely not, they were such a cold, steel grey.

"Yes. I've come to monitor your progress. I simply wanted to hide the dark mark." Ginny told him.

She saw his left hand twitch somewhat before he moved it to rest against his stomach so the mark was no longer noticeable to her. "There is no need. I need to get out of here."

Ginny stared at him in confusion as he pushed himself up from the bed. He had several broken ribs that were still mending, a fractured ankle that had not stopped swelling as yet and numerous ugly cuts and bruises still healing themselves. Not to mention a concussion that he was fortunate to have awoken from, clearly without any memory damages either. He was in no position to just up and leave.

After the three years Draco Malfoy had spent in Azkaban he had left England. No one had seen hide or tail of him after that. Years on end and there was no sign of the shamed, young Malfoy again. There were whispers and wonderings about his whereabouts but no one had ever seen the juvenile Death Eater again. She did not know what to make of his presence so far away from home though she felt oddly pleased to see a familiar face again. Even if it was a Malfoy, she missed her family dearly and it had been months since she had seen them all together.

"Are you insane? You are in no condition to leave here." Ginny immediately went towards him but he had already managed to push his legs off the bed.

"How long have I been here? Shouldn't I have been healed by now?" Draco frowned at her.

"Only a couple of hours. You were found by some wizards on Rue Sombre. What happened to you?"

"I can't remember." He shrugged as he turned around to look for his robes. Ginny could easily tell that he was lying. Even though he remained very calm and nonchalant, his voice steady and even, the fact that he had not looked at her gave him away. She had grown up with six brothers after all – she could tell.

Before she could call him out on it though there was a loud booming noise from outside Draco's room. Draco's metal bed slid with a light screech to the side and Ginny was thrown against it in the wake of the blast. The entire building of La Magiguérir shook violently as if there was an earthquake rocking the foundations around them. Voices could be heard screaming and shouting in rapid French outside the wizarding hospital.

"Where's my wand?" Draco asked her sharply as he looked around desperately and Ginny shrugged at him. No wand had been registered as his when he had been brought in to the wizard's hospital of La Magiguérir. "Fuck." Draco cursed and Ginny frowned at him as a woman screamed horrendously outside their room. "We have to get out of here now." Draco told her.

Ginny had been in a lot of dangerous situations before. She had fought in a war when she was sixteen years old and had lived to tell the tale. Fear was not something she entertained. However the fact that La Magiguérir was being attacked and she was barred in a room with Draco Malfoy of all people had Ginny feeling very nervous.

She did not know what he was capable of after some of the cruel things he had done in school. He may not have always done them intentionally or had a choice in some instances but he was still Draco Malfoy and she was bloody scared of him. "Weasley, now is not the time to panic. Trust me."

His voice was softer and compelling but Ginny felt hysterical laughter bubble in her throat. Trust him? His father had planted an evil diary in her cauldron, one that had caused the Dark Lord to possess her in her first year at Hogwarts. This was the boy who had picked on her brother Ron and his best friend Harry incessantly for years on end. Draco had brought Death Eaters into Hogwarts during her fifth year where her brother Bill had been scarred by a werewolf. That was while he tried to kill Albus Dumbledore of course. How the hell was she supposed to just trust him while the hospital she worked in was under attack?

Before she could contemplate this thought further though there was a loud bang outside the room they were temporarily caged in. The door to the room burst open and violent purple light flew at her. Ginny lifted her wand in panic trying to cast a hasty shield charm. She had not completely flicked her wand in the correct swish to complete the spell when a metal cot flew in front of her, taking the spell head on in her stead as it barrelled towards the attacking wizard at their door. She was pushed aside by strong arms and Ginny's side hit the floor hard. "Move."

Draco ordered and Ginny could do nothing but comply in that moment as adrenaline surged through her body and propelled her forward. After all, he had just saved her life. Fortunately they could make their way through to an adjoining room from a hole in the wall. His breathing was ragged however and she knew he could not stay conscious from more pain for much longer. Fear had Ginny scrambling on her knees; ignoring the glass that pressed violently into her hands as Draco hovered over her, crawling near her while he tried to shield her from stray spells and falling debris. His familiar position dredging up haunting memories for Ginny, causing a lump to form in her throat. She swallowed deeply and pushed aside the invading thoughts as she concentrated on her current position. She felt curiosity at his protective actions as she was the one with the wand in her hand. Screams and cries could be heard from all around them.

Fortunately for the two the ward they had managed to escape through was cramped with people fleeing in every direction. Ginny and Draco stayed close to the walls as they moved along the corridor, trying to avoid running into escaping people and wayward spells at the same time. It was far from easy and extremely dangerous yet somehow Draco and Ginny made their way through to the back of the hospital. They saw an opening to a hallway through the destruction and Draco dragged her along with him by her wrist. Ginny jogged to keep up with him; somewhere in the back of her medical mind she thought he was putting too much pressure on his injured ankle.

"Is there another way out of here?" Draco asked as they ducked again to avoid some falling stone from the ceiling above them.

"_Stupefy."_ Ginny cried as a masked being appeared around the corner. She was now in full on survival mode. She noticed that the wizards attacking the hospital were everywhere. Thankfully the French Aurors were on sight and trying to control their movements.

"Well done." Ginny was pressed between a hard wall and Draco's lean body. She could only nod weakly as he whispered his praise directly in her ear. His breath was warm on her skin as a minty smell wafted around her.

"This way." Ginny told him as she led him forward then and he followed as fast as he could since he was limping now. Ginny sensing he was too proud to ask for help slipped her right arm around his tapered waist before taking his left arm and looping it over her shoulders. He looked at her in surprise before it turned into annoyance but Ginny ignored him. They moved faster then and were soon approaching an emergency exit that would lead them straight outside the chaotic building.

"Is there somewhere safe we can go to?" He hissed as the cold air outside bit into his bare chest.

Ginny bit her bottom lip contemplatively. She did not know when Draco Malfoy and her had become _"we"_ but she couldn't just leave him on his own now. Out on the cold streets as he apparently had nowhere else to go to. And he was badly injured. He had also saved her life and had not abandoned her tonight. She owed him a place to recover at least. For one night only. Besides, she could take care of herself.

'_How the hell did I get myself into this situation?'_

Seeing her hesitation Draco smirked. Only it was cold and humourless and the motion sent an involuntary shiver of panic down her spine. "Don't worry Weasley, I just need a safe place to recover and I'll be out of your hair by morning." He told her wearily then.

Ginny could only nod, feeling uncomfortable and slightly peeved that he had read her personal thoughts so easily. Ginny thought of her safe place and disapparted while Draco Malfoy leaned heavily on her.


	2. Chapter 2

**WARNINGS:**** Some bad language and light adult themes! I won't apologise though, I'm a shameless D/G pervert. ;-)**

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**Dragon Heartstrings**

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_**Chapter Two**_

**DRACO** landed on a red step, outside a large wooden door and pain immediately shot from his foot to his swollen ankle. However he did not curse out loud or hiss in pain as the unwelcomed sensations heated his every nerve endings. Instead he simply grit his teeth and gently shook the woman holding him, out from under his arm. Draco Malfoy was not someone who showed pain. It was not in his genetical make up any longer, not since a very long time ago anyway.

He watched as Ginny tapped her door three times with her wand, obviously using a nonverbal spell to open it and he felt his fists clench at the thought of his own lost wand.

She lived in a rustic country house that was somewhat rounded in shape with a thatch roof and red steps. Flora grew near her home and Draco sardonically wondered – as was in his nature to often house such mocking thoughts – if she slept in the flowerbeds every night. There was a light floral smell that came with Ginny Weasley which tickled his nostrils, making his nose twitch slightly as he followed her in. She looked to be about to help him inside when she thought twice about it at his stoic expression and simply nodded at him to follow her. So he did, waiting in a tiny hallway while she closed the door behind her and locked up magically. She seemed very careful.

"I can't understand why anyone would attack La Magiguérir. In all the years I've been here this is the first. The French media will have a field day with this." Ginny muttered as she walked into a small room.

He was glad that she did not seem to expect an answer from him, instead she seemed to simply be thinking aloud. As if she was used to speaking to herself. Draco did not need to ponder the attack at the hospital, he was certain he knew exactly why it had happened.

He noticed Ginny's palms were bleeding but there were no traces of pain or whining from her. When he had first seen her at La Magiguérir he had not recognised her. She had appeared older and severe in her neat Healer robes and stern bun. Now however, after the attack, she looked incredibly young and vulnerable. Her big eyes a bright brown and her pale skin flushed with colour. He remembered watching as she bravely tried to defend herself from that first spell, even with the knowledge that she would not make it on time. He had rolled his eyes mentally at that act of Gryffindor courage that had overruled her self preservation and common sense. Of course that had been before thinking up a way to help her quickly. After all she had shown him kindness by trying to hide his mark for him and he realised that having a Healer at his disposable was exactly what he needed then.

"Come." She beckoned softly and he could hear the hint of discomfort in her voice. It was almost interesting, he had to admit, that she was so uncertain of him yet willing to help him nonetheless. It made Draco wonder what she would do next as he did not know her well enough to premeditate her motions.

Draco had not paid much attention to the littlest Weasley back at Hogwarts, as whenever they passed each other in corridors only a hateful glance was exchanged. They had spoken to each other only twice if his memory severed him well – and he had a wonderful memory, did Draco – and none of them had been friendly.

Draco was just pleased that he had stumbled upon her at La Magiguérir. At first he had been worried that she would try to hand him in to the French Ministry but the girl had tried to hide his mark instead. Something that did not sit well with Draco. He wanted to know why.

They ventured into a small, circular lounge with thick crème carpets, a few ratty sofas, mismatched quilts thrown upon it and a variety of hideous scatter cushions he found to be unnecessary. She motioned towards a single sofa and Draco could only smile inwardly at her choice. Nevertheless he sat down appeasingly and waited for Ginny.

"I'll be right back." She told him, seeming to be more confident in her actions now that he complied with her requests without hesitation. She flicked her wand at an open doorway nearby and a water jug and goblet floated towards the tiny coffee table in the centre of the small lounge. "Have some water so long." She offered before walking of down a darkened hallway.

Draco was rather pleased that she was a Healer as at least he could recover in a safe environment – where no one would think to look for him – until he could get back to England. There he needed to have a little chat with one of the two people he had ever called friends.

Draco sighed. This was why he did not consider many people friends, especially fellow Slytherins. There was always the chance that they would curse him when his back was turned if it suited them. While he was absolutely fine with that – as he himself would do it to anyone in the blink of an eye – they had promised that after the war, they would leave those ideals behind when it came to each other. With them they would stand together and offer one another the courtesy of knowledge on devious, selfish plans before putting them into action.

They had known the only way for them to restore honour to their family names was to make a name for themselves first. Something that Draco had spent four painstaking years doing. He abhorred thinking about his first three years especially when he thought about how easily the others had gotten off. Only because they had never been forced to attempt murder.

Draco shook his head slowly to clear his mind and rubbed at his temples. With a deep sigh he reached for the water goblet. His side ached and he knew right now his first priority was to be healed properly. He knew he would not have been cornered on Rue Sombre had he not been sending off a Patronus first or he had not been so outnumbered. However, if Storm managed to leave safely then it was all worth it. While he was not a man who outwardly displayed affection to anyone Storm was under his care and protection and Draco always kept his promises. No matter how twisted they were. A rueful smile on his lips, Draco stood up to stretch his sore muscles.

He walked over towards the fireplace to warm his chilled skin when he noticed moving photos on the mantle piece above Ginny's fireplace. He felt a mocking smirk form on his lips as he took in the sight of Ron Weasley on his wedding day with Granger. Then he noticed that while Ginny stood next to Granger, Ron's side looked oddly blank, as if an intentional place had been left empty. In the photograph Ginny smiled at the camera but there was something strange about it. He had never seen her smile genuinely before, or never really paid attention possibly, but he knew a forced smile when he saw one. How often had he to strain his lips upwards during Voldemort's return? What surprised Draco though was when Ginny turned to look right, a haunted look of loss was etched on her fine features.

He heard tiny footsteps approaching him and not wanting to be seen looking at her photos Draco quickly made to sit back down disinterestedly. He watched as Ginny came into the room carrying a small tray full of steaming potions and fresh bandages. She was engrossed in checking her tray, a small frown on her forehead and Draco took the time to study her inconspicuously.

Her hair had come down during their little escapade in La Magiguérir and now she pulled it back into a loose ponytail. But stray strands found its way rebelliously around her fair face. Her shapeless Healer robes had been discarded only to be replaced by a pair of Muggle jeans and a simple knit top in a deep blue. He noticed that she was no longer a girl but a young woman now. Her clothes clung to her and unlike a lot of the slender women Draco had spent his time with, Ginny possessed lush curves. He felt a scathing remark on the tip of his tongue about her turning out as short and fat as her mother was but thought better of it. Not simply because she wasn't fat but rather voluptuous.

Some part of his brain wanted to rile her up and see that pasty red her brother used to get when Draco religiously teased him at school. Draco actually missed those days sometimes. But then he remembered that unlike _that_ useless Weasley this one was doing him a favour and cruel outbursts – no matter how offhanded and bland they were – would not be tolerated. A distant memory of a powerful hex thrown at him during his fifth year in Umbridege's office made him frown.

Then she looked up at him. At his frown she lifted one neatly shaped auburn eyebrow questioningly. He noticed that while her brother had ginger hair hers was a darker shade of red. And in the firelight she had golden streaks fashionably highlighted into her thick tresses. Also the freckles that lightly dusted her button nose and cheekbones suited her rather than marred her features.

Draco shook his head at her, wondering why they were having a sudden, silent conversation. She nodded then and he felt his lips twitch faintly. Were they not in need of words at all?

"I've brought you a pepper up potion and something to dull the pain. Take these now while I check your wounds." She turned away from him to set the tray down on the coffee table. Her back bent and her rounded bottom stuck out at him. Then she turned around to face him again and handed him two phials of potion. Draco accepted it and drank the steaming liquid quickly as she had not asked him for an opinion but rather ordered him to do so. He did find himself a bit annoyed at her dominant nature, as he was not a wizard who took kindly to being told what to do, but shrugged it off for now. She was the trained Healer here and he had no doubt that she was highly competent at what she did. He had seen the five stripes on her robes that denoted her high standing at the wizarding hospital. "I've transfigured this for you because I don't have anything else that will fit you and not look feminine."

Ginny handed him a plain black sweater that she must have simply expanded to fit him. He took it from her and was about to pull it on when a small hand landed on his bare shoulder. Draco looked at her tiny palm on his broad shoulder, resisting the urge to shake it off, before lifting his eyes to meet hers.

"Not yet. I need to check your wounds first." He nodded and placed his hands at his sides.

Her nimble fingers were soft and silky on his bare skin, her breath warm as she sometimes came closer to him. Ginny's scent was light and enticing as it wafted around him, tendrils of her disobedient hair tickled his stomach as she bent to examine his ribs and his stomach clenched –

"Alright, you seem to be fine …" Draco's eyes popped open upon realising that he had somehow closed them during her examination of his injuries. He frowned at her for a while but attributed his strange thoughts to the hazy effects of the potions he had just taken. She seemed not to be concerned with his reaction to her though as she gestured towards her tray. "Are you listening to me?"

The question surprised him and he blinked slightly before looking back at her impassively. "Of course, I am." He replied.

"Really?" Ginny asked. "Then pray tell, what did I just say to you now?"

"That I am healing perfectly fine. Not that I'm surprised however, I don't pride myself on being weak." Draco haughtily jutted his strong chin out slightly. He waited while she stared at him for endless moments, a vaguely staggered but pleased expression on her face, as if she had been waiting for him to say something that arrogant all along. "What?" He felt the need to ask. No one had looked at him so searchingly and made him feel that exposed since the Dark Lord.

Ginny shook her head and gestured towards another door. "Let's get something to eat and then maybe you'll feel better after. You can take a lovely hot bath too, it'll help your sore muscles relax. Later I'll explain the potions again." She listed as he slipped on the jersey she had given him and followed her towards a tiny kitchen.

She gestured for him to sit at a small round table in one corner and he gratefully obliged – his ankle was still hellish to walk on. Then he watched her turn on the wireless network from a radio sitting on her cooler. Ginny then set a glass of juice on the scratched table he sat at and Draco raised and eyebrow at her. She was like a house elf or mother hen.

"Are you always this domesticated?" The words left his mouth before he could stop himself. He really did not want to make idle conversation with her, craving the comfort of that bath she had mentioned followed by a lovely warm bed; however the thought of food was too tempting to deny. He needed sustenance as the only thing he had had since breakfast was a slice of toast and a cuppa tea.

She turned to look at him in surprise, a saucepan held in mid air. Then she shrugged and turned back to the stove. "I haven't had someone here in a while. Its nice actually." She told him softly, truthfully and he frowned at her.

From what he knew about the Weasleys Draco knew they were a close knit family. They bred like fucking rabbits but he had learned that they were all very loyal to each other. Which was more than he could say for his own family now. Sometimes he had actually wished for a sister or brother to share with. How different things would have been then. Now he had a shamed father – dead and a mother who was trying to live her lost life vicariously through her only son. Then again, Draco had never really liked to share so he guessed everything did happen for a reason after all.

"Why are you so far away from home then?" He asked casually as he sipped his juice, his eyes studying her over the rim of his goblet.

She shrugged as she flicked her wand at knives which immediately started peeling and chopping up vegetables and boneless chicken. "I needed to get away. Fresh start, it was a bit too painful to go back after Harry died. Then I made a life here too, so I settled."

Draco noticed that she spoke calmly, acceptingly and he guessed that after all this time she must have come to terms with her loss. She had accepted the _great_ Potter's death. Strangely that made him more interested in their conversation.

He remembered the shock he had felt at hearing Potter was dead but that had soon been overwhelmed by news of his own father's demise. Draco had never felt more conflicted in his life than he had at seventeen. The man he had loved and idolized was gone. That also meant that the man whose sins had fallen on him to bear had vanished too. It was a difficult emotion to deal with. After it had become clear that the Dark Lord was gone and not returning Draco had decided that it was time to move on.

"Ah, so instead of entertaining some flamboyant wizard you choose to spend your time improving your culinary skills?" Draco inquired lazily and he watched her turn to lean on a counter as she regarded him curiously.

"You grow out of some things and mature into others." She told him cryptically and he was curious at to what she meant by that. Surely a young, fairly good looking witch like herself had more to do than work ungodly hours at a hospital and spend her time in a heavily protected shack that seemed to be her sanctuary rather than her home. Then again, growing up in a great mausoleum cultured with ancient prejudices left him no room to criticise.

"True." He told her. She tilted her head to the side a little and studied him for a long while before she turned around again. Soon the delicious smells of home cooked food warmed the kitchen more than the coal from her stove. With more impressive flicks of her wand, bread cut itself on the table before him. His goblet was magically refilled and a steaming bowl of soup was placed before him.

He watched from the corner of his eyes as she hesitantly halted away from him for a moment; a bowl in hand for herself before finally taking in a deep breath and walking towards him. Draco found her indecision over him intriguing. When she sat down opposite him she watched him intensely as he ate.

"You still seem rather arrogant and prideful but not as prejudiced or awful as you used to be." He noticed keen interest shining in her eyes and lilting her husky voice. Draco wondered why she was trying to psychoanalyze him. Was it a Healer thing or a Ginny thing?

"What makes you say that?" He asked casually.

"I doubt the old Malfoy would have thanked me, saved me and then allowed me to take care of him."

"I'm not an invalid Weasley, I can take care of myself." The edges of pride and contempt for her choice of words proved he was still a Malfoy and for the first time in years his cheeks pinkened dully as he had certainly just proved her point.

She sent him a triumphant smile at this. "People change." She told him simply and he wondered if she was talking about herself or the people around her.

"I'm still the same person I always was." He told her. Of course that was not completely true really.

During his time in Azkaban he had spent three years with hours on end to think. Monotonous minutes that crawled by worse than a dying slug. His father was dead and he had been left to answer for it all. It had not been a happy time and he had realised then that if he had wanted to live again, then changes had to be made. Or pretended to be made at least. In a way all his old prejudices had been left behind in the pits of Azkaban and he considered himself very fortunate that Dementors no longer played host to the wizard prison.

At least when he had left that haunting fortress he had become stronger instead of broken. Something that would have happened had the Dementors been present to drain him of the pleasant thoughts he used to keep himself sane in there. He had grown into a man with his own set of strong shoulders to carry his burdens. He was no longer his father's son. He would be his own person.

"Are you?" She asked and he felt the distinct need to ask her to mind her own business.

"Are you always this prying?" He countered.

"I've brought you here, made sure you're alright and I'm feeding you. I think I have the right to know who I'm entertaining in my home."

He could see that she really did expect a reply from him but she would disappoint herself. Draco was not someone who willingly came forth with answers. He had been described as reticent at times but he preferred observant. While he would forcefully interject and impose his own beliefs at times they were reserved only for when he strongly believed in something. Charm he found worked much better than the intimidating bullying or bribing he had been so fond of at school. Of course bribery was still a tactic one could wrap quite easily in charisma, not unlike a thoughtful Christmas present really.

"Why did you?" He asked in curiosity as much as to deter her.

Draco watched carefully as emotions swirled in her brown eyes like melted chocolate before it was hardened to represent the shape it was made to be. She lowered her gaze briefly before looking up at him. "I remembered the testimony Ron and Hermione gave for you at your trial and I knew you'd accepted your sentence, so I didn't think it would be fair for you to be punished for old crimes. You aren't a dark wizard any longer, right?"

He heard the light scepticism in her voice and it grated on his nerves for some reason. While he was astonished that she had come to his trial – admittedly he did not remember much from that day, as it registered under memories Draco had stored away never to be viewed again – why would she still question him now?

"I think if you have to ask then you did not think of your options very carefully, Weasley."

Her eyes flashed. "Well considering there wasn't much time for thinking while we were caught in the middle of a hostile attack, I believe the fact that you asked me to trust you allowed me to give you the benefit of the doubt."

"Was that trust an exception for escaping La Magiguérir unharmed only, or did it extend to bringing me here?"

Ginny remained silent at his valid question. Draco had a point as she had had a choice to ignore his plight and simply tell him to find his own way. Even though he had been wandless and required help she had not been forced to give it to him in such hospitable ways. Therefore some part of her must have allowed herself to trust him implicitly, for that moment at least. "You are here, aren't you?" Was all she could say and he simply nodded at her.

"So what is it that you do Malfoy, no one in Britain has seen you since you were released … for four years?" She was determined, Draco would give her that he thought as she backtracked on her question. He knew full well what she had meant to ask however he pretended otherwise. He watched as she sat there, and while she thought she was discreet, he could see the cogs in her brain spinning furiously as she bit her lip or tilted her head to the side slightly to look at him when his eyes were on his food. She was trying an indirect approach now.

Yet he also saw real curiosity bloom in her brown eyes and he shrugged. If she really wanted she could possibly learn about his occupation. She seemed like a very resourceful witch after all. "I run a shipping company all over Europe. It's the first wizard only market dealing with importing and exporting potion ingredients."

"Is it legit?" He looked up sharply at her and he could see she had not meant to ask him that but she did not back down from his indignant stare. She held his gaze defiantly. Definitely determined. Her cheeks flamed a bright red but Draco realised she did not look mottled or hideous as Ron had back in school.

"Yes, it's legitimate." He smirked arrogantly at her as surprise welled in her eyes. Whether it was because he ran – or used to Draco thought bitterly – a legit business, that he had not cruelly insulted her or become offended or angry at her audacity Draco did not know. Then he saw her frown.

"But there's only one all wizarding shipping company in Europe."

'_Ah, intelligent.'_ Draco looked at her, she was right of course and fifty percent of it was his. "Yes, Sea Dragon and Vessels belong to me."

Her frown deepened further. "Sea Dragon is owned by Drakon Black … "

He watched as comprehension dawned on her face. He could easily mistake her look then for impressed. Drakon was a derivative of his own name and Black was his mother's maiden name. After the war no one had wanted to work with a Death Eater, especially not a Malfoy fresh out of Azkaban. Even though Draco had heaps of gold at his disposable. Therefore he had needed the anonymity to prove he should not be overlooked simply because he carried the past of a teenage boy with him. If he was honest, for a long time he also did not want to be associated with the name Malfoy he had once stood so proudly behind. Revered even. So he had adopted a pseudonym and worked from there.

"You've done well." She told him sincerely and this time Draco could only stare at her in genuine surprise.

After a while he scowled at himself. Of course she was kind and accommodating. She was a blood traitor. A Muggle lover. She was a _good_ person.

"Thank you." Draco found himself replying involuntarily.

They ate in silence for a while longer, with only the clatter of their spoons against their china and the soft wireless music in the background, but Draco did not feel uncomfortable. Instead Ginny had silently topped up his bowl with more soup when he had finished his first round and sliced additional bread for him by hand. Then he sat back, fully satisfied while she leaned forward. Elbows propped on the scratched wooden table, chin resting on her closed fists she stared at him less reservedly now. Draco looked at her, eyes glinting an almost amber colour with her hair glowing around her like a live fire in the candlelight surrounding them.

"So, are you going to tell me what really happened tonight?"

Draco looked slightly taken aback before he shrugged nonchalantly. "I've told you I don't remember. I was in Rue Sombre, after a meeting with a client and the next thing I knew I was waking up in La Magiguérir."

He noticed she did not look convinced at all though. "I don't believe you." She said frankly.

Draco was placed a little out of his element. He was not used to his actions being questioned. Normally others went along with anything he said just because of who he was. It had mostly been that way in school and after the war he had strived for that superiority again. No one had so candidly called him out on a lie in a very long while. He was uncertain if her behaviour intrigued him or annoyed him. Slowly Draco made his way forward as well. His forearms resting on the table edge as he leaned in towards Ginny.

"Did it cross your mind that it does not bother me whether you believe me or not?" He spoke softly, superciliously.

If she was taken aback by his closeness she did not show it and Draco found himself enjoying trying to intimidate her. It was not an easy feat to accomplish and he found he rather liked a challenge.

He had often had to clinch expensive deals and pressure was a tactic he used relentlessly, he had the cold ability to make people feel inferior around him. He could easily allow someone else to feel like they were a slimy Death Eater and he a wonderful man. Manipulation was something he took pride in. He exploited weakness mercilessly when he pinpointed it. Yet with Ginny it seemed that he fancied it because she looked straight through it all. She didn't swallow what he said gullibly, instead she questioned his actions making him thirst to do better. He saw her eyes rove over his face before she leaned in closer still.

"Yes, I think you want to tell me the truth." She shot back.

He scoffed. "The truth is over rated."

"Are you always this evasive?"

"I thought witches liked dark and mysterious wizards with secrets?" He challenged.

"Do you want me to like you?" She sassed back.

Draco found himself floundering for a moment. "I think you missed your calling in law, Miss Weasley." He could not believe he was sitting in a drab kitchen with a Weasley no less and they were … _flirting_. Were they?

"Touché." She gave him a small smile and Draco found himself drawn closer towards her. He inconsequently thought that _that_ was what she looked like when she smiled. Mischievous and enigmatic.

She cleared her throat then and stood abruptly. He shook his head slowly, from side to side and thought that he was obviously inebriated by all the potions he had been given. He leaned back causally in his chair again, turning to watch her discreetly as she worked.

Her wand movement was graceful as she tidied up the kitchen around them. Draco idly wondered if he had ever shared an intellectual conversation with a witch his age before. Ginny was witty, quick thinking and he absent-mindedly thought that preening, dense women were rather boring.

Normally Draco liked to pick up someone who didn't have an opinion on anything but the latest fashionable robes. It suited his purposes well as he did not wish to listen to endless chattering from a dim female, but he found Ginny Weasley very engaging and not in the least stupid.

"I'll show you to your room." Ginny motioned for him to follow her and he did so feeling sleepier after his meal.

He was taken down a muted hallway that he noticed had three doors in its wake. She pointed him to a bathroom and told him there was a clean towel on the rail for him before she took him to a door that he noticed was directly opposite another. She opened it and he followed her in.

"It's not much." She shrugged and he looked around the sparse room.

"It has a bed, it'll do." He told her uncaringly and she nodded.

"I didn't think you'd done something that warranted being shut up in Des'Carcera for." She told him confidently and Draco could only stare at her. He wondered if she had put that much thought into him before she tried to cover his mark or after she had had dinner with him. "I think it's just old feelings of animosity towards you that have me doubt you're … who you are now. But Sea Dragon is a reputable business and I know you haven't been killing Muggles for sport in London of late." She said lightly to defuse some of the obvious tension in the room but Draco felt a twinge of guilt at her words.

He admonished himself for his silly wonderings, thinking that she was just a disarming woman whose near natural charm must enchant many a wizard. Also, she had helped him much and some part of his twisted conscience was indebt to her. There was nothing else to it of course.

"Old habits die hard." He said with a casual shrug and turned away from her, dismissing her from his presence. He heard the soft click of his door closing and Draco went over to the bed in the room. He needed to rest for a while.

* * *

Draco rubbed the towel vigorously through his damp hair before he threw the wet cloth on a rickety chair in the corner of the guest bedroom Ginny had given him. He pulled on his pants, not bothering to do up his zipper and buttons as he ventured into the kitchen without a shirt. He had only heard a quiet stillness throughout the house and he assumed Ginny was asleep.

While Draco didn't think she was likely to try and slip a dagger through his heart while he slept, he was feeling understandably restless after his attack. So he simply went into her kitchen and got himself a drink of water.

Then he made his way back to her lounge, wanting to sit near the warmth of the fire for a while. He noticed a small door to the side of the mantle piece he had not seen before because he had been engrossed in Ginny's photos. Draco made his way to the door and opened it. He felt uncomfortable wondering around without a wand yet he knew he could not do much about it until he returned to England.

Draco couldn't light the lamps in what appeared to be the study so he left the door open for light from the lounge to filter in. The room was lowered from the foundation of the lounge by three stone steps. He noticed that while everything in Ginny's home was warm and cosy this room was even more so.

There was a large chaise covered with more pillows than necessary and a thick quilt that was the most mismatched he had ever seen before. A dirty mug lay on a work bench to his side where numerous books lay open. Walking over Draco picked up a thick volume and noticed it was written in ancient runes. He had never done runes at Hogwarts and so he couldn't read the script. Some of the hieroglyphics did look rather intricate as well, too advanced for simple Hogwarts' curriculum. When he set the book down again he noticed that all of them on the table and the shelf near him was the same. There were also parchments of runes that had obviously been hand written; looking like difficult Arithmacy equations and he wondered what Ginny was delving in.

Then he noticed a tiny frame on her desk. He picked it up to get a better look at it. He felt his lips curl in disdain as he sneered at Potter's messy black hair. While he did not feel that intense jealousy for his dead, old rival any longer he still felt lingering dislike for the noble arse. The picture showed a laughing Ginny in her faded Hogwarts robes, head tilted back as Potter stood dotingly over her. Draco vaguely remembered his sixth year.

It had not been Draco's finest time at Hogwarts. Draco remembered that the fact Potter had gotten himself a girlfriend, still happy and bouncing around the Castle with the title of the Chosen One hovering above his head like a halo had annoyed Draco more so than usual. He had once or twice found himself looking at the youngest Weasley to try and see what Potter had seen in her. Draco thought it was clear now. He was about to place the photo down again when a wand jammed painfully into his neck.

"What the hell do you're think you're doing sneaking around my place, Malfoy?" He heard Ginny hiss behind him but he noticed there was also some relief in her voice.

Draco shrugged, his hands still held in surrender, the photo frame in his grasp. "I couldn't sleep and was looking for a book to read." He lied easily. His shoulders tensed when she did not drop her wand on him. What the hell?

"I don't believe you." She spat and Draco frowned.

"Listen Ginny," he heard her inhale sharply at the use of her given name but he thought the familiarity of it might make her see reason. Her breathing was ragged behind him and he wondered what was going on. "I'm going to turn around – "

"No." She snapped harshly, digging the wand more relentlessly into his neck.

Draco grit his teeth unsure of what the hell was going on then. Why was she suddenly acting like an angry, venomous snake poised to attack?

"What did you take? What did you see?" She twisted her wand more forcefully into his flesh and Draco slowly moved his head to the side, running his tongue over his front teeth. He was losing his patience here, fast. "Answer me." She screamed.

Draco used her shaking anger to his advantage. He quickly grabbed the tip of her offending wand and lifted it over his head as he turned around faster than Ginny could react. Draco then tugged at her wand, momentarily admiring her strong hold on it before he twisted her hand behind her back. Her other wrist already trapped at the base of her spine by his free hand. He pulled her flush against his chest, holding her tightly to him.

She still struggled against him though, trying to knee him in the groin. Draco swiftly stepped back from her knee before turning around, with Ginny still in his hold and pushing the backs of her thighs into her desk. Ink bottles rattled behind them and the frame he had placed back on her table fell face down. _'Good, I don't want Potter watching.'_ Draco then wedged a knee between her thighs so she could no longer move. It was only then that he noticed what she was wearing. Nothing but a simple piece of silk. The scrap falling low over her full chest, the curve of her pale cleavage on show and riding high above her pale thighs.

"Enough." He demanded when she continued to wriggle against him like an angry cat.

"How dare you?" She screeched and Draco flinched as her shrill voice pierced his eardrums.

"Gods woman, are you deranged?" He asked in bewilderment. "I was simply looking through your books. I can't even fucking read ancient runes."

At that confession, made in his calm voice with a heavy frown he noticed she slowly ceased her struggling. Then she inhaled deeply, her full bosom brushing against his naked chest and Draco stifled down his male response at having warm, pliant flesh pressed into him like this. Stupid chit.

Her eyes opened again as she glared at him. While her body had relaxed considerably against his, her eyes still blazed at him in anger and Draco stared at her while arching one eyebrow. Her shoulders stiffened. "Release me." She demanded.

"No." Her eyes widened at his refusal before they narrowed at his response. He was as surprised by his words as she was.

"What do you mean no?" She hissed.

Part of Draco wanted to punish Ginny Weasley very badly then. He wanted to teach her that he was not some panting young wizard from school who stalked her, drooling for her simply attention. He wanted to shake her until her loose hair was a tangle of mad curls and her lips were no longer pursed but pouting. Draco wanted to turn her around and bend her over her desk before spanking her voluptuous arse hard. Then he wanted to – _'Fuck.'_ Draco thought as he gripped her soft arms more firmly before finally releasing her. He sneered at her before stalking towards the door.

"You need to get over whatever you're running from, Weasley. It's one thing to be financially deprived but being poorly senseless makes even me pity you." He said harshly before he left her study. In his small bedroom he closed the door with a sound snap before spinning an arm around in frustration. His palm stopped just short of smacking into the wall.

* * *

"You need to get over whatever you're running from, Weasley. It's one thing to be financially deprived but being poorly senseless makes even me pity you."

Draco's words played in Ginny's mind and she cursed at him. Who the hell was he to tell her that she was senseless? He was this tall, sneering block of ice that had thought the world revolved around him for sixteen years. Yet somewhere deep inside of her his words niggled.

She had come a long way in the last seven years. Her priorities finally set, grieving for Harry now history but somehow she still felt as stuck in the past as she had always been. Then enter Draco Malfoy, confusing her with who she knew him to be and compelling her with who he was showing her he could be. He had literally exploded into her life tonight and dredged up all those old insecurities and feelings she thought she had beaten. She wondered why that was. She thought him a selfish bastard, however someone who she knew as Drakon Black couldn't be. That wizard had been responsible for donations all over the wizarding world. Mainly relief funds after the war for rebuilding. Why was it that no one had ever cared to ask but continued to accept so much anonymously?

Because no one truly wanted to know who you really were and what actually drove you, they simply wanted what you could offer them. Ginny sighed before she sat down heavily at her desk. Picking up the fallen frame she looked at the only picture of Harry and her that she had. A picture taken by Collin during the time she had dated Harry in her fifth year. She kept it as much for Harry as a memento of Collin's.

She touched Harry's face as she watched him look so adoringly at her in the picture. No one had looked at her like that since then. No one had kissed her in a way that made her feel safe and wanted since Harry. She had tried, oh she had tried. At first she had literally flung herself at willing wizards - and there were plenty of those – while partying into the next morning every night just to try and ignite something inside of her that had died when Harry had. None had succeeded.

Then she had learned that not all wizards would simply allow you leave with one kiss. It had been a dreadful experience but Ginny was thankful that it had happened. Sometimes it took something as awful as a near death experience to pull you back from the dark path of self destruction. Ginny shuddered. It had not been a pleasant time in her young life but she had become a better person for it. She also knew it could have been worse; at least she had not been raped. After realising that she had been running from her past instead of facing it head on, she had finally stopped to meet her present. She had been victorious in overcoming her painful history then.

Malfoy's jokes about her life weren't so far off. She really did live a mundane, boring existence. Though she never minded. She was content. Ginny had had enough excitement to last her a lifetime.

Therefore the pale mongrel could keep his patronising judgement and stormy grey eyes, that stared at her as if he wanted to devour her soul, to himself. When he had looked at her moments ago, while she was imprisoned in his hold and against his bare, muscular chest she could have sworn he looked about to murder her. Only it hadn't scared her in the least. On the contrary it had thrilled her, something flickering inside of her deadened depths. Hard angles and plains, mused, damp blonde hair that she knew felt like silk beneath her fingertips, steel grey eyes turning dark and bewitching ...

She could not wait for him to leave.

* * *

He could count on one hand the number of times he had apologised. While he had been sorry for many things he had never truly felt remorse at any of his actions. He may have, in hindsight done things differently with post knowledge, but he also knew if he had to redo his life he would not have become some noble wizard striving to live in the light.

There were always shadows in the darkness, people failed to realise that. He was the grey in between. The shadows that were made of both light and dark. He was always there lurking in the blackness, because he came from within the blackness too. Though he felt strange that early morning as he stood in a guest bedroom to watch the sun rise. Red and orange hues making him think of vibrant vivacious hair and unbiddenly the thought came to him.

Shadows required the light to be seen.

Draco pulled out a simple ring from his right hand, the black diamond in the centre winking at him in the semi darkness of the room, before he placed it on the centre of a neatly fluffed pillow. Then he turned to leave. That was thank you and I'm sorry.

* * *

**Author's Note:** Please remember to review. :-) I'd love to know how my first real D/G is going.


	3. Chapter 3

**Dragon Heartstrings**

* * *

_**Chapter Three**_

**THE** grey fog wisped around her like ominous thoughts on a foreboding night, as Ginny hurried her clicking heels down the quiet street. The weather seemed to be mocking the fact that she did not have an umbrella in her possession that day. She smiled faintly though as she rounded a corner. She was a witch; a shady place could conjure protection from mother nature instantly, away from prying eyes of course.

Then she heard it. The soft footfalls of someone who did not want to be heard. Yet her senses were sharp, honed from years of looking over her shoulder. So Ginny turned her head to the side to look back when she felt strong arms grab at her front.

Ginny gasped as the insidious tendrils of fear latched at her but she stared up courageously.

His eyes were as grey as the storm clouds above her. Turbulent, now. Not the usual flat colour of hard, cold steel. They weren't empty and impassive anymore and Ginny felt like she had waited days, years for such notions to spark in his eyes. Even his contempt was something that Ginny yearned for because it meant he thought about her enough to offer her his emotions.

Ginny watched as his eyes lowered to where she nervously wet her bottom lip in the hopes of forming words from her dry tongue. So she did it again. Confidently allowing her pink tongue to moisten her lips and she loved the way his breath hitched in his throat. The sound so raw and raspy. He was so close to her now. Her tiny palms were placed flat against his toned chest, from when she had walked straight into him, and she wanted to trail her hands over the expanse of his hard flesh.

She looked at his pectoral muscles then as she felt his heart speed up beneath her palm and Ginny's pulse at her wrist began to quicken in answer. Triumph sung in her blood. Yes, she had an effect on him. He could not be so callous as to ignore it.

Then he released her. Harshly, almost throwing her away from him, contradicting her beliefs as if he was disgusted by her actions – or his, possibly both – and Ginny stumbled backwards. Anger flashed in her gaze and she turned blazing brown eyes on him like molten amber, sparking gold in his direction, ready to cut through him with sharp words of disdain.

He refused to be withered by her gaze though and simply sneered down his aristocratic nose at her. Then he turned around regally and walked away from her, tall and proud, his spine stiff and shoulders wide.

"Wait." Uncertain why she needed him to stay but assured that she did not want him to go.

She called out again, this time with an outstretched hand. She tried to run after him but the fog grew heavier, so dense she could wade through it like thick, floating foam from a bathtub. That was what had been following her all along, the rush of her grave and burdened past. It gathered around her in palpable waves and Ginny tried to call out for help but she couldn't. It was chocking her, pulling her further away from him and she didn't like it. Not one bit. She struggled against the opaque fog that had somehow grown black tentacles, now latching onto her hand.

It felt as if it were sucking the very life from her, draining her until she was nothing but a monotonous, robotic creation instead of a being filled with feelings, looking forward to what lay before and beyond her.

In her warm bed back in a tiny cottage in France, Ginny awoke with a start. She groaned and closed her eyes, throwing an arm over her face as the last remnants of her dream danced through the temporary black of her mind. For days now she had dreamt of Draco Malfoy. He haunted her like some wandering spirit that refused to accept his presence was unwelcomed.

She had dreamt of Harry for years on end. Something Ginny had never minded since it was the only time she was able to see and be with him when she couldn't in reality. She enjoyed the simple moments of being embraced by love when she met Harry in her mind. Fantasising about the life she could have had. Should have had. She had accepted that Harry was dead, that he wasn't returning, that did not mean she wanted to move on any longer however. She had tried and failed miserably in the process. Breaking herself just a little bit more instead. Ginny refused to place herself in a similar situation again.

Now her welcomed dreams of Harry were replaced by his old rival. Yet somehow her dreams abut Draco Malfoy were different. They left her shaken and out of breath, vaguely afraid even, but somehow always wanting more. Yearning, craving more. It was such a strange feeling. She knew she did not like Malfoy in the least but she wanted to learn more about him, delve into the enigma of the wizard she had met nights ago, compared to the bigoted toad she had known something off back at school.

"I'm completely mental." Ginny chastised herself as she watched shadowy patterns dance across her wood ceiling in the dark of her room.

After much tossing and turning upon her ruffled sheets, with slumber eluding her after her dreams, Ginny sighed heavily and gave up entirely on falling asleep. She rose from her bed and made her way to the tiny desk in her room, lighting the candles nearby as she sat down on her working chair. Rubbing at the back of her neck, Ginny tried to ease the tension from her body.

Her small home felt odd and cold without the presence of Malfoy, which was strange since he had only spent one night with her. She had cleaned the house in an effort to try and purge lingering traces of him from the cottage. Like the protracted scent of something herbal and new dragon skin. He smelled cool and refreshing and the combination of earthy and leathery seemed to mock her.

Ginny fingered the ring she had found lying in her guest room after his departure as it was now attached to a gold chain around her neck. She had never received anything form Harry as a keepsake before and yet she was wearing Malfoy's ring around her neck. Yes, she was definitely barmy. Then again, she told herself that it was simply for safe keeping. She fully intended to return it to him and did not want to lose it before that time came.

Staring at the sheaf of papers on her tiny desk Ginny picked up an official looking piece of parchment and read the crisp sheet once again.

She was going back home.

* * *

"Oh, it's so good to see you." Hermione shrieked as she hugged Ginny again.

"Hermione, I need to breathe." Ginny teased as she was embraced suffocatingly by her sister in law.

Ginny smiled down happily as she took in a deep breath. It was good to be back home. She needed the time here and was happy when La Magiguérir had signed her temporary transfer to St Mungos while the damage to the French hospital was being repaired.

The feeling of coming home was always warm and welcoming and forever a reason to celebrate. A time to have all the family together in robustious, rowdy Weasley fashion. The sounds of joyous laughter and joking, mingling with the delicious aroma of her mother's home cooked meals and the excited laughter and shrieks of children running around everywhere. The crackling of a hearty fire and scrumptious meal, later polished off with decadent desserts always left Ginny feeling nourished in more ways than just simple sustenance did. Never had such disorder given Ginny more peace before.

Ginny smiled as she stepped inside Hermione Weasley's cosy home. Ginny was using her free time visiting friends and family so she could spend one on one time with her loved ones before the time to leave rushed forward to claim her again.

"Where's Ron and Rose?" Ginny asked about her brother and four year old niece and was somewhat disappointed to learn that Auror Ron had been called in to the Ministry and her niece was taking a nap. Although that gave the young witches time alone in which to catch up with.

Ginny and Hermione sat for a while drinking tea and chatting about everything that Ginny had missed out on since her last visit. "How is Ella? I heard she met someone recently."

Ginny smiled genuinely as she spoke about the wizard young Gabrielle Delacour had started courting. While Ginny had not much appreciated Gabrielle taking a fancy to Harry years ago, when the war had ended and Ginny had first ventured to France, it had been Ella who had kept Ginny many a times from sinking into the pits of depression.

While that had normally meant too much of immature alcohol drinking and outrageous partying for Ginny and Ella, it had been a young witch's way of dealing with a past she had been running from at the time. For Gabrielle it had been a simple case of a bird who had just been freed from the sheltered home she had lived in for so long, and with Fleur gone Ginny had been seen as somewhat of a stand in older sister. They two, young witches had caused quite a stir in the magical world of France for some time until Ginny's incident.

That had spurred both girls into rethinking the fine line of fun and destruction they had vastly overstepped. They took a step back and saw for the first time in a long time the dark bottoms they had been fast plummeting into before beginning to pick up the pieces. Shaking her head slightly Ginny offered Hermione a strained smile. "Cosmo is lovely, they've been over for dinner a few times."

While Ginny was extremely ecstatic for her friend, it also meant that her time with Gabrielle had become non existent, leaving her completely alone again. Her thoughts must have been visible to the ever astute Hermione because the other witch gave her a sympathetic grimace. "Doesn't Cosmo have any handsome cousins for you?" Hermione half joked in an attempt to lighten the mood between them.

Ginny knew that it was her mother and Hermione's mission to see her with a suitable wizard. Ginny doubted she would ever find someone who made her feel whole again. Alive.

"I am quite content with my life the way it is right now." Ginny said sincerely.

"I know, but it isn't healthy to shut yourself out from the world like this, Ginny. I wish you'd just let me set you up on a few dinner dates."

Ginny resisted the urge to shudder and offered feebly, "I don't do long distance relationships, Hermione."

"Oh nonsense, I have a few attractive prospects in the French Ministry."

This time Ginny did shiver in disgust. "Absolutely not. Stuffy, French councillors are not my cup of tea."

Hermione's cheeks reddened slightly and her voice was indignant. "What makes you think they're councillors?" Ginny raised an eyebrow in silent answer and Hermione could not contradict her. "Oh alright, but I thought you had had enough excitement to last you a life time. A grounded wizard is ideal for settling down with."

Ginny did not want to tell Hermione that she would rather be single until she died than "settle" down with someone who was "grounded". Just the terms put her to sleep. She needed someone who was not intimidated by her past and independence because he was strong without being overbearing. Someone who would challenge her but knew when it mattered enough to her to give in. A wizard who knew how to put her in her place without a firm hand that broke her.

"When the time is right, Hermione. Anyway, I prefer love to find me instead of looking for it." Her answer seemed to appease her sister in law and Ginny decided to change the subject quickly then.

Ginny gave the brunette more details about what had happened at the French hospital as it was the first topic that popped into her head, regardless of how at length they had spoken about it at their family dinner last night. Hermione naturally tried to figure out why there had been an attack on La Magiguérir.

"You don't think it was because of you, do you?" Hermione asked in concern, voicing the question no one had wanted to ask last night. As if it would have upset Ginny.

Ginny shook her head after another sip of tea and placed the delicate china down softly. "No, I've been away for seven years and working there for three. I really think it was something else."

While Hermione had always been her confidant when it had come to Harry, Ginny did not feel the same comfort in talking to the other witch about Malfoy. Hermione and Ron may have testified for Malfoy after the war, as he had played somewhat of a pivotal role in saving the trio from Malfoy Manor during their hunt for the Horcruxes, but there was no love lost between them. In fact, Ginny was quite certain Hermione would not be pleased at all about her little run in with Malfoy or Ginny's burning curiosity about him.

As they continued to speak, their conversation naturally moved onto Ginny's "problem" and Hermione excitedly brought out new scrolls of parchments and books that she had been working with. "I'm sorry it's taking this long Ginny but I guess it has to be trial and error. Even Voldemort was unsure if it would work. Blood rituals are tricky at best but interfering with magical auras is something completely dastardly."

"But it did work." Ginny reminded distastefully. "Anyway, it isn't your fault Hermione. The year after the war was a right mess with Harry gone. Then the rebuilding, the family and Rose. I understand. Besides, we've done three unsuccessful rituals already; at least we're getting closer to perfecting it."

Hermione nodded. "I know, but I really want you to be back for good you know. Every time you leave it feels like we're saying goodbye for the first time all over again, we just miss you and want you to be back home again. For good."

Ginny sighed. "So do I." She looked out Hermione's window wistfully, taking in the familiar street outside. "So do I."

* * *

Blaise Zabini stepped casually into his dark office and was about to lift up his hand and magically light the lamps inside when he found there was no need to do so. Candlelight immediately spattered across his sharp, angled features and he turned to see Draco Malfoy sitting in his chaise near his fire place, the blonde haired wizard surrounded by a deceptive air of nonchalance.

"Draco?" Blaise asked in surprise.

He knew that stoic blankness on Draco's face well and it made Blaise instinctively uneasy. It was the expressionless features of a man who had questions to ask. A distrustful wizard who wanted to search your countenance and answers for clarity, and a hint of a lie would find you hexed into next year.

"To what do I owe the pleasure, partner? I thought you were away on business in France." Blaise calmly set his briefcase down on his oak desk and went to the decanter that Draco obviously had helped himself to already. Blaise noticed from the corner of his dark eyes that Draco's wand was not far from his reach, hidden neatly within the sleeve of the man's dark robes.

"Why Blaise, can I not drop in and visit my _faithful_ business partner?" Draco drawled smoothly.

Blaise sipped his firewhiskey slowly to give himself time to think carefully on his answer. The way Draco had enunciated the word faithful had not been lost on him. Generally when Draco and he visited each other they did so on much more informal terms. There was no tension in the room that made Blaise want to forget his social etiquette and demand the reason menacing Draco was there. Normally their relationship consisted of friendly barbs that meant no harm. Today he felt like a bug under the heavy Malfoy scrutiny. One wrong skitter and he would be trampled on mercilessly.

While Blaise was not afraid of Draco, he had long since learned how to deal with the temperamental wizard. He was, perhaps the only one who could and it was probably why their relationship had flourished. While Blaise was never cowed from telling Draco the honest truth – no matter how much Draco wanted him to lie – if Blaise had let his own frustrations rule his actions then he and Draco would not have had any kind of understanding what so ever.

"Is there a reason for this sudden visit then?" Faster than Blaise could blink he was pinned against a wall by an invisible force, his rounded glass fell silently from his surprised fingers and onto the plush carpets of his office, an alcohol patch staining the area near his levitated foot. "What the fuck?" Bliase's furious voice demanded as he glared pointedly at Draco.

He lifted his dark head slightly, the only part of his body allowed to move, as Draco's wand was jabbed into the tender part of his throat. Blaise was a skilled duellist too but he preferred the battle of good words than letting his temper run away with him like Draco often did.

* * *

Draco's eyes roved narrowly over Blaise's every feature, watchful for the slightest trace of a lie. His eyes bored into his friend's and business partner's, delving into the surface of the wizard's thoughts. All Draco could make out though was confusion, anger and worry.

"Did you know that Theodore Nott was using Sea Dragon to smuggle Death Eaters from England?" Draco snarled and when Blaise's dark eyes widened and the man's mind went haywire with the question Draco finally took a step back.

He lowered his recently acquired wand and allowed Blaise to be set free from the magical hold. Blaise quickly righted himself, adjusted his robes with dignified pats and glowered at Draco. "You couldn't have just asked me that, you had to resort to magical force you absolute prat." Blaise cursed as he walked over to pour himself another drink. Blaise was faintly rattled, and as Blaise Zabini was normally one cool snake who hardly ever got shaken, Draco commended his old intimidating skills. He still had it in him.

Draco shrugged unapologetically and smirked at Blaise. At least he knew now he could trust his partner and he would have expected the same reaction from the dark haired wizard, had Blaise held similar trust issues with him. Something even Blaise knew. Draco waited while Blaise sighed heavily and sat down at the large, oak desk while he took a place across from the other wizard.

"Why would Theo do this?" Blaise asked wanly.

After Hogwarts and the mess Theo and Draco had been left in with their fathers being known Death Eaters and Draco being branded, employment options had been scarce to say the least. Draco had adopted a pseudonym after his sentence in Azkaban but he still needed a neutral business partner he could trust to get things moving along.

Blaise had never taken the mark and while he never truly agreed with Voldemort's ways he had still held onto his pure blood prejudices. He was a snake and Draco trusted him for it because that was all the young Malfoy had known at the time.

"I went over to his office in France this weekend and things didn't seem right …" Draco went on to explain how he had stumbled upon information about Death Eaters being transported all over Europe via Sea Dragon and Vessels after he had done some snooping through Theo's things.

Then he went on to tell Blaise how when he had confronted Theo about it, their _mate_ had tried to curse him. Fortunately, Draco was skilled at martial arts and managed to dodge being jinxed while he withdrew his wand, but Theo had escaped.

"Then the bastard sent reinforcements …" Draco told Blaise of his little incident in Rue Sombre.

"You're sure they were Death Eaters?" Blaise questioned before he magically refilled his and Draco's glasses. While he had vowed moments ago to deprive Draco of his expensive firewhisky due to how he had been treated, Blaise realised that they needed the alcohol more than his petulant grudge.

Draco nodded. "Positive. One of them was Goyle."

"Hell." Blaise garbled in surprise. "But why didn't they just kill you? Which would have saved me this evening." Blaise muttered irritably but Draco took no offence from his words. They were both Slytherins, they looked at things practically and petty emotions like being offended had no place in logic or a harmless jab. "Wouldn't it just have been easier right, I mean you can turn Theo into the Ministry now. Even if this brings disrepute and controversy to our business, and if that's what he's banking on, he should know that we've built a strong name over the years now. He can't think that we'll shut up about this and continue to let him use us this way."

Draco felt a jolt of relief at Blaise's reference to "we" and "us", clearly stating the side he was on. "They were trying to obliviate me Blaise, it's obvious they want me to forget what I've seen so he can still continue with his harebrained schemes."

Draco owned fifty percent of Sea Dragon's shares and Blaise held thirty to Theo's twenty. It was possible that Theo still needed the protection of their business to hide behind and obviously did not want to be sent to Azkaban or Des'Carcera.

Blaise looked contemplative for a moment. "How did you escape?" A small smile played on his full lips.

Draco smirked smugly. "Used that tub of lard Goyle as a human shield and then managed to apparate away. Landed somewhere where I was discovered by some do-gooders and they sent me to La Magiguérir."

Blaise lifted his glass in salute to Draco, a crooked smile on his face. "Cheers mate."

Draco lifted his own glass in acknowledgement. "The littlest Weasley was a Healer there, fortunately for me. She took me back to her place while I recovered. It was a good bet when La Magiguérir was being attacked openly, no doubt by Theo's croonies whom were trying to find me and make ammends."

"Yeah?" Blaise said enthusiastically as he sat forward in his seat and looked at Draco searchingly. "How was that?" He had a knowing smile on his face. After all Draco's old reputation with witches preceded him.

"It wasn't at all pretty, I didn't have a wand with me and had to rely on the Weasel for pro – .. defence." Draco improvised.

"Do not be obtuse, Draco. You clearly escaped the attacks unscathed, I was enquiring about Weasley."

Draco rolled his eyes. "Your concern for me is touching, Zabini." Draco drawled sarcastically. However when Draco saw Blaise had no intention of dropping the subject of Weasley without satisfying his curiosity, the blonde haired wizard added, "Nothing of the sort happened and you know I'd never either. I can't."

Blaise seemed disappointed by the answer even though he had expected as much. He nodded and leaned back, a full, reminiscent smile on his face. "Is she still as lovely and feisty as she was back at school?"

Draco crinkled his nose at this. "I never found her lovely in school." He said haughtily.

Blaise scoffed. "Only because you were too caught up in trying to kill Dumbledore to notice." Draco snarled at the reminder.

Blaise's honesty was one of the things Draco appreciated most about the other wizard. He could have an open conversation with Blaise and the chap would always tell him the God's honest truth. Even if Draco hated it. Blaise never catered to his whims and it was one of the reasons Draco trusted and respected Blaise's intellect. "I hardly think I would have looked at a Weasley as you did, even without my mission to focus on."

Blaise smiled. "Did you get a look at her now though?"

Draco shrugged. "She's alright. I think Potter's death messed her around a bit, seems a bit of a recluse but she helped me out and …" Draco lifted one shoulder again, allowing his words to trail off.

Draco stared determinedly at Blaise, refusing to give away anymore on the matter, as the dark skinned wizard watched him with keen eyes. Eventually Blaise set down his glass and leaned back. "So what do we do with Theo?"

"He's on the run for now but we have bigger problems than that and I don't want to run to the Aurors just yet."

At this Blaise sat forward again. "Which is?"

"While I was searching through Theo's stuff I came across a journal. It belonged to Kaos Nott. It was heavily warded but you know Theo, never good at his charms. I managed to crack through and open the thing. Theo is after something the Dark Lord had been and failed to retrieve. Do you remember the night everything went to hell at the Shrieking Shack while the battle at Hogwarts still raged on?"

Blaise nodded. "Who doesn't?"

"Well I think Theo knows more about what happened there that night than we do. Apparently Voldemort was after Potter's magical aura. He wanted to combine it with his own so as to perform some ancient ritual that would have made him beyond powerful. I'm uncertain how it was meant to work exactly, what the process entailed or why Potter was even preferred. I can only imagine the Dark Lord was somewhat worried about the Chosen One defeating him. Voldemort was at his most vulnerable at the time and since he was going to dispose of Potter anyway, he must have thought why not steal the fool's magical energy first."

Blaise frowned. "That may not have worked. Magical signatures are an intricate subject at best. Untouched. There's so much that even the most learned wizards don't know about. Our individual auras are complex alone and the Dark Lord was trying to combine two together. It's almost suicidal. Then again, his soul was already destroyed to care much about the consequences of ancient rituals. But Voldemort was one crazy son of a bitch huh." He mused.

"That he was." Draco ran a hand through his white blonde hair.

"But Potter's dead. It couldn't have worked."

"Actually, from what I've gathered, Theo believes that the ritual was already in place before the Order members and other wizards showed up. That could have been how Potter died. He thinks that when Potter and Voldemort kicked the bucket, the magical signatures had already been released to form as one. Before it could be transferred into Voldemort though, the Dark Lord died."

"Which means, Theo thinks the magic found another home?" Blaise finished.

"Exactly. I think that Theo thinks it could be stored in an inanimate object or one of the Death Eaters. Only someone as dark as Voldemort could handle that kind of a force."

Blaise looked thoughtful. "It's possible. But every single one of Voldemort's inner circle was killed that night. I can't imagine a weak wizard of no ranking who would be able to contain that much of power in them. It would surely have driven them crazy by now. Or turned them into the next dark wizard."

"That's why Theo thinks it's safely stored in an object that is under Ministry protection. He's also trying to fill in the blanks, from what I've seen in his own lazy script, as his father's journals were missing information. I suppose Kaos never had the time to update his _diary_ much during the war." Draco mocked and after Blaise chuckled he continued. "Theo calls it CL, which means he has some idea on who or what it is but didn't take the risk of writing it down. I need you to get some of your contacts onto finding information on any object that was named CL that night at the Shrieking Shack. Anything the Ministry holds dear now and any witch or wizard with those initials." Blaise nodded seriously as he scribbled down a few notes on a blank piece of parchment. "Also, keep an eye out on Weasley for me."

At this Blaise raised his eyebrows and gave Draco a mocking grin. "She must really have grown up nicely then."

"I owe her, nothing more. Find out if you can throw some gold at her or an organisation she supports. I don't know if Weasleys still need money but she was always a philanthropist. I'm simply seeking to repay her, you know how I feel about debts, Blaise."

"If you say so." Blaise shrugged offhandedly before looking more sombrely at Draco. "What does Theo want with this magic?"

Draco scoffed derisively but there was a smidgen of worry in his grey depths, a rarity for Draco Malfoy. "To become the next Dark Lord."


	4. Chapter 4

A huge thank you to the wonderful **'Smothchap'** for the great Beta work on this chapter even though DBZ is her area of enjoyment.

* * *

**Dragon Heartstrings**

* * *

_**Chapter Four**_

**GINNY** smiled and looped her hand through Luna's as they made their way down the familiar streets of Muggle London. Wind blew her locks of red hair around her face and she moved her head to the side to avoid stray strands from getting into her eyes.

"Let's go there." Ginny beamed as she pointed out a cosy looking tea shop on the corner of the cobbled street.

People milled all around them and Ginny pulled down her knit hat lower over her head from habit. Luna simply smiled serenely and they quickened their pace while walking close together, hand in hand as they wiggled around passersby to avoid bumping into anyone.

Ginny could only smile broadly as she and Luna shuffled inside the little shop, shrugged off their coats and sat down at a small table. She felt as if she was living a life she had been robbed of in the past. It was an odd sort of feeling to be back with a longer staying time in mind than the normal week or two she normally spent in England.

She realised that even though she missed some things about her life in France, when at home she was happy. Truly happy. Undeniably, it still hurt to think about Harry not being with her, but she had eventually learned to live without him and his absence should not keep her from living in the present. That was something her therapist had said to her.

"How's the Quibbler doing?" Ginny asked her friend about the Lovegood's family magazine that Luna had just started taking over after they ordered cups of hot tea and scones.

Their conversation – even with Luna's odd comments about wrackspurts and crumpled horned snorcaks in between – flowed easily and was light and fun, making Ginny laugh out loudly and revel in the time spent with her best friend. Ginny could only smile as she raptly listened to Luna talk about the travels the blonde haired witch had embarked on during the years after Hogwarts.

Some of the countries Luna spoke of sounded incredibly divine and Ginny couldn't help but to feel slightly envious of her friend's unrestricted trips of exploration. Ginny was also surprised, but thrilled nonetheless, to hear about Luna's little endeavours with the wizards she had met on her travels.

"Rolf Scamander." Ginny whispered as she leaned forward to look closely at Luna. The blonde haired witch simply smiled serenely and looked at Ginny as if landing the grandson of the famous Magizoologist Newt Scamander was of little importance. Ginny stared wide eyed at Luna. "I am impressed. So what happened?"

Luna shrugged nonchalantly. "Our travels took us on different parts. We write to each other now and then and he promised to look me up when he was back in England."

Ginny could only gape at Luna. "And you're fine with that? Just a causal shag. Aren't you even just a _little_ interested in a relationship with a man you sleep with?"

Luna looked at Ginny with keen silver eyes while she casually sipped her tea. "It was my first time. I don't know if there is someone else out there who can make me feel the same, better even, and I need to be sure."

It could have been one of the sanest things Luna had ever said and Ginny nodded with a fond smile before she leaned back in her chair again. Luna was many things, dreamy and idealistic at best, but she was also very wise and her intelligence was of a different kind. Uncanny and honest to the point of being blunt, seeing things that others' overlooked with the ability to read people accurately, made Luna a special specimen all on her own .

Luna Lovegood was not judgemental and always kept an open mind. Ginny suspected that that was what kept wistful Luna grounded. Apart from what she had went through during the war. War changed everyone. Ginny doubted Luna really regarded her first time as a casual fling, but maybe Luna was uncertain as to whether Rolf Scamander was "the one".

Ginny sighed. One of a female's biggest flaw – in Ginny's opinion, and she was no different from the rest – was the notion of waiting and wanting "the one". It was something you craved for more than anything in the world. A phenomenal, life changing feeling that came from the depths of you on finding "the one". A missing piece of yourself that you hadn't realised you missed until you found that special person. It was difficult to convince yourself otherwise when you had believed in finding "the one" your entire life.

It was even more impossible to accept anything less when you had experienced that feeling before. Ginny guessed that she would always feel lost without Harry now. She could no longer imagine being forever with someone who wasn't him.

"Ginny?" Luna called softly and Ginny shook her head slightly and blinked.

"Sorry Luna, I was just thinking about … "

"Harry." Luna finished and Ginny nodded with a rueful smile. Luna reached over and held her hand in comfort.

Not wanting to wallow or talk about her past Ginny gave Luna a grateful squeeze before looking at her watch. "I should get back to work. Walk me back?"

Luna nodded and Ginny placed some Muggle money on the table before she got up. "I had a lovely time catching up with you."

"So did I." Ginny agreed. "We must do this again, soon." Ginny smiled and hugged her friend as they made their way out the shop.

Chatting laughingly they walked out with linked arms when they both stumbled back from Luna being bumped into. They stopped mechanically as Luna turned to offer the stranger a full smile with her apology. Ginny however was ready to give the person a stern glare over not watching where he was going when the man smiled at them charmingly.

"My apologies ladies, I was simply engrossed in today's special board and did not see where I was going?" He lifted a neat, large hand to his chest and bowed slightly while holding up his newspaper in the other.

Ginny tilted her head to the side as she looked at the familiar face before her, but could not place the man. He was tall and handsome. His dark skin and sharp features making him look like a sculpted Greek God beneath his tailor made suit, which he wore like an air of confidence and authority. Black curls cut short and neat offset piercing dark eyes that Ginny was sure could pry through the souls of anyone if he wanted to.

"I didn't know you frequented Muggle tea shops." It was Luna's serene voice that had Ginny and the young man, who had both been staring at each other observantly, look at the blonde in confusion.

"Excuse me?" The dark skinned stranger asked with raised eyebrows and an odd smile on his lips. As if he had not expected such a question. His attention remained focused on Luna and Ginny watched him look at her friend with an appraising glance, as if he only just noticed Luna's presence there.

"You are Blaise Zabini, are you not?" Luna asked confidently and Ginny's eyes widened in recognition before narrowing at the dark skinned man in front of her.

"By Merlin, it is. You're right, Luna." Ginny agreed before frowning at Blaise.

Ginny watched as Blaise's eyes widened with recognition, looking from her to Luna. Although there was something off about his surprise. Almost as if he was trying to convince them that he hadn't known who they were.

"Ah, the Weasel and the Loony. Just like old times, eh girls." Blaise's lips tilted slightly and his air of superiority was back again as it had been in Hogwarts. Haughty and arrogant, a mocking smile replacing his earlier smooth charm.

"Some things never change." Ginny said dryly as she eyed Blaise up and down with undisguised contempt. "What have you been up to of late, Blaise, posing for Play Wizard?" if Ginny expected her comment to have any negative effect on Blaise she was disappointed. The man simply grinned at her before looking over at Luna.

"I can't help my superior genes, Weasley. Of course the same can't be said for you, but it seems fair skin and red hair is much more alluring on a grown Weasley witch than scruffy old wizards." Blaise's eyes travelled up and down the length of Ginny and she immediately stood up straight as she glared at Blaise's suggestive tone. "And you Lovegood, I almost didn't recognise you without the radishes and butter beer caps."

Blaise's tone was light and teasing, as if his words weren't a direct insult to them as they used to be in school, but rather a sort of humorous way of acknowledgement amongst adult acquaintances. Ginny mentally admitted that it was a suave way to break the ice and move past any bad blood between them from the past.

He extended one large palm to Luna. Still though, possibly from years of disliking Slytherins, Ginny felt the churlish urge to pull Luna's hand away from Blaise's but refrained from doing so. There was something about Blaise – besides her old school dislike for him, which didn't really seem to be present now that they were out of Hogwarts and he was being less of a prat – that made Ginny feel as if she was missing something about him and she did not like it in the least.

She watched the contrast of Blaise's dark hand holding Luna's fair one in his own before gently bringing it to his lips. Ginny raised an eyebrow at the interaction as Blaise's eyes never left Luna's. Rather than the blatant but surprising flirtation from Zabini, Ginny was more taken aback to see her friend eyeing Blaise with a look of deep contemplation. A look Luna only reserved for when she heard about the possibility of non existent creatures.

* * *

Draco walked tall with one hand in his pants pocket as he made his way swiftly down to the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. He knew a wizard at the Auror department who he could call in a favour with. Draco wanted some lead as to Theo's whereabouts so he would not be blindsided if the other wizard was planning something here in England. Which Draco was sure Theo would be doing, as all his contacts in France led him to believe that Theo had fled the country.

As he stepped out of the lift he watched his surroundings with careful eyes, a habit of his now and he smirked when he noticed Ron Weasley standing at a cubicle not far away from the one Draco planned on visiting. Draco couldn't deny that the opportunity to rile up Weasley after so long had him almost salivating.

However Weasley's next words stopped Draco's approach. "I dunno, to be honest I'd prefer it if my sister remained a spinster. Just the thought of her with anyone …" Ron shuddered as he stood up for a moment before leaning against the cubicle again.

"Only it sounded like your wife is adamant that your sister – Ginny right? – " the man Draco couldn't see because he was blocked from view by Weasley's big head asked and Ron nodded, "… be introduced to more wizards and I'm available mate. And you know me."

Draco could tell that Ron wasn't convinced and he moved his head to the side to see who Ron was speaking to.

Draco would have laughed at how pathetic Weasley must still be at associating with imbeciles like Rotfeld, if only he had not felt an odd sense of irritation inside of him at Weasley's little conversation. The Weasleys were trying to set up Ginny? The Weasel only had one sister after all. Draco felt his lips curl into a sneer at Rotfeld's enthusiasm over possibly meeting Ginny. Rotfeld? Really? The idiot was a womaniser and Ginny could do much better than that.

Draco frowned at his thoughts and reminded himself that it was none of his concern. Then again, if Ron was trying to find Ginny a date that meant she was back in England. He felt annoyance at not being made privy to that titbit of information from his own sources. He had been under the impression that Ginny was helping repair the damages at La Magiguérir.

Draco was about to turn around and go kill Blaise painfully and slowly when Rotfeld looked at him with surprise and Weasley turned around to stare at him in bewilderment.

"Malfoy?" Ron asked, astonishment clear in his voice.

"Weasley." Draco acknowledged with a small inclination of his head.

While Draco had never thanked Ron and Hermione for their assistance on his trial – and neither would he ever – he could lower himself to have somewhat of a civil conversation with the duo. Only in small doses though. Too much of the Weasel would definitely make him feel ill.

"What are you doing here?" Ron asked and Draco heard the traces of suspicion in the other wizard's voice. He didn't like it but he didn't blame Weasley either. Years of dislike and loathing didn't just vanish because you may have helped each other out once or twice, no matter what the circumstances had been or now became.

Draco also realised that Weasley's question could refer to two things. What Draco was doing in England or what he was doing at the Ministry. Neither of which Draco intended to answer. "I don't see how that's any of your business, Weasley."

Draco took perverse pleasure in seeing Weasley's cheeks redden faintly as they used to back in school but hid all surprise at Ron biting his tongue. Something the easy-to-rile-up, volatile Weasley had never been able to do in school. Draco watched in amusement as Weasley nodded acceptingly. "Is there anything that we can help you with, Malfoy?"

Draco shrugged as he looked over at an empty cubicle and inclined his head towards it. "I was here to see Loran."

Ron nodded and turned to Rotfeld. "Send an inter-departmental memo to Loran, I think he went down to Penn for something." Ron then turned around to look at Draco with unveiled curiosity but kept his tone professional. "You can wait at his cubicle."

Draco nodded before his gaze shifted lazily towards Rotfeld and then landed on Weasley again. "So your sister is back in England then?" He didn't know what possessed him to ask but Draco had never needed a reason for his actions before, and he didn't plan on starting then either.

However he noticed that Ron stood up straighter and looked at him with narrowed eyes now. "How did you know that?"

Draco frowned but shrugged indifferently. "I overheard you just now."

He watched as Weasley's shoulders sank with relief and Draco wondered why it made Ron tense with something very close to fear at the mention of Ginny being back in England. Then he watched Weasley give him a half smile and Draco arched a pale eyebrow at the red head.

"I don't see how that's any of your business, Malfoy." Draco rolled his eyes at that reply.

"Clever, Weasley. However if you had any brains at all you would know better than to allow Rotfeld anywhere near your sister."

Ron raised both eyebrows at this but Draco knew his point was made. So he ignored Rotfeld's affronted question of "What's that supposed to mean?" and nodded stiffly at Ron before walking off to await Loran.

* * *

While Draco was leaving the Ministry, more frustrated than he had been before his run in with Weasley, he felt the back of his watch heat up against his skin.

Draco looked around casually to ensure everyone was too preoccupied with their own affairs to pay him much attention before he walked towards a corner and tapped his watch with his wand. During his sixth year, when he had used Granger's idea of charming coins to send messages to the DA back at Hogwarts, Draco had realised just how handy that spell really could be.

Therefore, Blaise, Theo and himself used charmed watches to send each other efficient messages instead of using a Patronus or owls when privacy was a must and time was of the essence. Of course Theo hadn't replied to any of his or Blaise's messages of late and Draco doubted that Theo had kept the watch.

Draco read the message that appeared in neat script on the face of his watch. _'GW back in England. Temping at St Mungos'_

Draco immediately tapped his watch again and the words "about time" glowed for a second before disappearing towards Blaise. Then Draco made sure his watch was only a face of time again and slid his hand back into his pocket. Since he was in London it made sense to do a little recon, was what he told himself.

* * *

"I haven't seen you around here before." Mr Smith said as he shook Ginny's hand in thanks.

"I actually work at La Magiguérir, Mr Smith." Ginny smiled kindly at the handsome young wizard who doted over his four year old daughter.

Ginny looked at her examination room door which was slightly ajar and she knew she had another patient waiting outside for her, but she didn't mind taking a few minutes longer to chat to a good looking man while his daughter dressed herself again. Ginny had offered to help little Lucy, but the girl had insisted that she was old enough to do it by herself.

"Call me Ian, please." Ginny smiled kindly at Ian and his dark eyes smiled back warmly at her. "England wasn't good enough for you then?"

Ginny shrugged. "Something like that."

Ginny couldn't help but thinking that she had another reason to enjoy being back home. Ian was tall, dark and handsome and he was obviously a good father. Why would she need Hermione to set her up when wizards like Ian Smith were walking into St Mungos?

"Well it sounds like an interesting story, I was wondering if you'd like to have lunch with me sometime. If you're not – "

Ian was interrupted by the distinct whinging of Ginny's door being pushed open and Ian and Ginny looked away from each other to turn towards the new comer. Ginny's slight guilt and irritation melted at the sight of Draco Malfoy standing in the doorway of her examination room with one long fingered hand still on her door handle. Was he her next patient? Was he hurt?

Only he looked anything but hurt as he stood tall and broad shouldered before her, an unreadable expression on his stoic face. His eyes were steely and his jaw clenched tight. Had he been eavesdropping on her conversation?

"I apologise for interrupting." He said although Ginny couldn't help but notice that he didn't look sorry at all. "However there is a man outside who is highly inebriated with what looks like a highly toxic potion and I would think his needs take priority." There was no need for Draco to say what he thought wasn't a priority in that moment as there was no doubt in Ginny's mind that he had been listening in on her conversation with Ian. "And I am running late for a very important meeting that costs me huge amounts of gold."

Ginny grit her teeth at his holier-than-thou attitude when she knew better and at his reference to his wealth she felt the distinct urge to slap him across his face. As if he had the right to barge into her work place and tell her how to do her job simply because he was Draco Malfoy.

Ginny inhaled deeply and plastered a fake smile on her face although it was thoroughly stiff. "Thank you, Mr Malfoy. I am very aware of my duties but you can not just barge in here while I am busy with another patient."

Ginny was aware of Ian's eyes moving from Draco to her. "It's alright, Ginny." Ian gave her a handsome smile and Ginny returned it genuinely. "Lucy is done." He placed a hand on his daughter's head of fine brown hair after the child made her way to stand next to her father.

Ginny looked down and was about to ruffle the girl's hair when Lucy tugged on her lime green Healer robes. Ginny bent down to Lucy's level and smiled at the child. "Can I have a little lollipop like the Muggle doctor gives my cousin Jane-y, please?"

"Of course you can, sweetheart." Ginny smiled indulgently at the little girl.

Lucy was a half blood whose Muggle mother had died when she had been born. It was a story that made Ginny's heart ache. Ginny took out her wand and waved it across her palm. A large red lollipop appeared before her and Ginny handed it over to the little girl.

"Thank you." Lucy gushed as she flung her tiny arms around Ginny's neck.

"You're welcome, Lucy." Ginny said softly as she looked up sadly at Ian. His own eyes were hurt and weary but he smiled at Ginny and that made her feel like crying all the more, for who knew the pain of losing a loved one better than her.

"Come Lucy, Miss Weasley is very busy today."

Lucy waved good bye happily as she trotted off behind her father and Ginny watched her go before she shook herself back into a professional demeanour and turned to face Malfoy. "What brings you here, Mr Malfoy? Is there a large stick up your arse you need removing."

"Is that the kind of uncouth charm you use on other wizards, Healer Weasley?" Draco arched one eyebrow as he nodded towards Ian's retreating form.

Ginny narrowed her eyes at Draco and chose to ignore his question. "What are you doing here anyway, Malfoy? You don't seem in need of medical attention – physically. So I should inform you that curing mental instabilities is not my area of expertise." Ginny was pleased with her snide comment only Draco looked back at her so blankly she immediately felt somewhat contrite at her words. She was still justified though; Malfoy had a way of getting under her skin. "And besides, I thought I had another patient waiting outside. One with a _real_ problem."

Draco shrugged but did not answer any of her questions. Instead he called out to the man outside. An old wizard stumbled inside and would have crashed straight into Ginny if Draco hadn't pulled the man back by the backs of his robes.

"What 'er pretty lil' girl we have 'ere." The man slurred as Ginny wrinkled her nose in disgust and Draco shoved him down unceremoniously on the little cot.

Ginny immediately took the label stuck to the man's chest and read _Gip's_ little problem out loud. "Drank a wrongly brewed love potion and is now extremely randy."

Draco scoffed at this behind her back, as if in disbelief as to who would ever want to give Gip a love potion, but Ginny ignored him and as if to prove the symptoms, Gip grabbed one of her breasts. Ginny swatted the old wizard's hand away in irritation and turned to look over at how Draco had made himself comfortable by leaning against her now closed door, arms crossed over his wide chest and one ankle crossed over the other.

"What are you doing her again, Malfoy?" Ginny narrowed her eyes at him.

"I'm here to discuss something of personal importance with you." He replied cryptically. "I'll wait till you're done with the pig though." Draco inclined his blonde head towards Gip and his tone brooked no argument so Ginny nodded in acceptance.

Deciding it was best to humour him Ginny set out to brew a remedy for her patient. She felt uncomfortable as she looked at Draco from the corner of her eye. He was standing there all impeccably dressed, tall and proud as if he owned St Mungos while her rebellious hair was sticking out of its hold after a long day of work and her robes were stained with various unsightly patches.

Later however Ginny found that she would actually be grateful that Draco had been there. Gip had jumped up and made his way towards her. The old wizard placed his had down with a firm slap on Ginny's bottom.

She squeaked and jumped, unprepared for the assault as her mind had been so preoccupied with thoughts of Draco, sending a phial crashing onto the floor of her examination room. Gip's despicable actions made Ginny somewhat panicked.

Draco immediately came forward and gripped the man's wrist firmly. Gip tried to throw a sucker punch at Draco but he was too inebriated to make any contact. Although Ginny suspected that even if Gip was with his full senses, Draco would have still been able to deflect any attacks made against him. There was something purposeful and well honed about Draco's motions. Fluid and skilled. Aware.

"Sit down and wait for your potion like a good ol' dog or I will force it down your throat when it's ready." Draco snarled at the man and it sent a shiver down Ginny's spine. Gip whimpered pathetically and Ginny took pity for the old man who wasn't in his right mind and her own un-professionalism at not being able to better handle the situation.

"Malfoy, you can not use such barbaric tactics on my patients like that." Ginny chided as she cleaned up her mess on the floor with a competent flick of her want and then made to stir the remedy she was brewing without waiting for a response from Draco.

Draco's eyes narrowed at her and she glowered determinedly back at him. She refused to think that he had manhandled Gip with her best interests at heart and besides it being considerably unprofessional she did not want Malfoy thinking she owed him.

He shrugged and flung Gip's hand away from him. "Fine." Draco hissed. "Deal with him yourself then."

* * *

Draco was perplexed as to why exactly Weasley did not want him to threaten the disgusting troll she called a patient. It also irritated him that she had thrown back his help in his face, especially since he didn't give that out much easily. Gip was offensive and utterly inappropriate, even making an act of disgusting assault against her and yet she had defended him. Worried about the pig's well being. Was that a Healer thing or a Ginny thing? One thing was for certain though; she was an enigma, Ginny Weasley was.

He watched as her small hands and nimble fingers placed her wand on the little potion dispenser she stood at before splitting the potion into two separate phials. Then she carefully carried one over to the intoxicated wizard. Draco's jaws clenched as he watched the wizard knock down the potion from Ginny's hand and grab at her arm.

She shrieked but the wizard covered her mouth to muffle her screams and Draco watched her kick out like an angry cat. It was useless though as Gip forced her down onto the cot and situated himself above her. Gip placed thick thighs between her legs and Draco felt the nerve in his jaw twitch at the loathsome sight. Only she had asked him to stay out of it.

That reasoning may have seemed ridiculous for not assisting a woman in dire need of help but Draco had always had a strange sort of pride and way of thinking. Now his pride was something he valued above all else because he had worked long and hard to earn it after the one he had been freely given had been stripped from him. It was who he was and he would not compromise on himself for someone who had only moments ago scorned his proffered aid.

Draco watched as her hands scratched at Gip's eyes and the man quickly reared back from her. She then must have bit into his hand because Gip roared as he pulled back his palm from her mouth. However that led Gip to choking her throat with one hand while fondling her breast with the other. That was when Draco took a step forward, watching her with cold, detached eyes.

Calmly, he placed a hand on the older wizard's shoulder and squeezed slightly. The man immediately started to stiffen as his hold loosened on Ginny and she gulped in air greedily. "Would you like my _barbaric_ help now, Weasley?" Draco inquired uninterestedly as if he was asking if she wanted sugar and milk in her tea.

He realised then that there was a part of him that sought for Ginny to want his help. Need it even. Why the bloody hell that was, he had no idea. It could possibly have been because she had refused it when he had given it without her asking that irked him so and mocked his own principles because Draco Malfoy never handed out assistance freely.

"You're a sick bastard, Malfoy." She spat in a raw and scratchy voice and Draco almost smirked at her fire, burning brightly even in her humiliating situation. As if she was afraid he would not help her then, she spoke clearly. "Get him off me."

Draco pulled back Gip with ease and twisted the old wizard's wrist around his back. Holding the wizard immobile Draco requested Ginny to "force" the other phial of potion down Gip's throat. She didn't need to be told twice and hurried over. Immediately the man gurgled on the concoction but Draco kept his strangle hold on Gip.

Only when Gip fell limp in his hold did Draco push the other wizard onto the metal bed in the room. Ginny held her throat with one hand while the other clutched the end of the bed tightly as if to steady her. She looked up at Draco with disbelief and anger etched in her flashing brown eyes.

Draco made to move towards her but she stretched to her side and reached for her wand with surprisingly quick reflexes and pointed it at him. "Stay away from me."

"I expect a little more gratitude than that, Weasley. Not even your silly Healers outside had any idea of what was going on in here." Draco sneered and he watched her pale cheeks heat with anger at his words.

"You would have honestly let me be, simply because I reprimanded you for your violence against the idiot who isn't in his right mind before?" Draco shrugged and he could see her cheeks pale. "You really would have, wouldn't you." He knew it was no longer a question when her eyes widened in shock.

Not knowing what else he could say, Draco remained silent as she snorted and shrugged of her Healer robes, throwing it over the stand in a corner meant for her them. "Then I don't care why you came here in the first place." She spat, then dashed past him like a bolt of red lightning.

Draco sighed and ran his hands through his hair as he followed her outside. "Weasley." He called as he quickened his pace to match hers. Just as she stepped outside of St Mungos and into Muggle London, Draco caught a hold of her arm.

"Let go of me." She snapped as she tried to shake of his hand angrily but Draco steered her forcefully down a corner instead of letting her go.

When she turned to glower at him Draco could see tears shining in her eyes. He reared back, unprepared for the pure vulnerability visible on her face. He immediately felt something very uncomfortable pull inside of his chest and Draco grimaced as he wondered if he was suddenly feeling contrite for his actions. He had never verbally apologised for being a world class arse before and he didn't think he could now.

"I won't apologise for who I am."

"It sounds like an excuse for being a giant arsehole." Ginny said cruelly and he grit his teeth.

"I never claimed to be otherwise, Weasley." He watched as she shook her head in frustration and disappointment, the latter made him feel uncomfortable.

Maybe coming to see her had been a mistake. Thinking to pay her back for her help at La Magiguérir had been misguided. He had left a valuable token of his appreciation for her after all and it was time to walk away. He had even helped her today with Gip and he was not indebted to her anymore. Still he found his mouth working.

"Let me see you home at least."

She scoffed. "The dirty little hovel you used to turn your nose up at in school. I don't think so." She made to jerk his hand off again but Draco held on tighter. "You're hurting me, Malfoy." She hissed and her words bothered him. As if he was disturbed by the thought of causing her harm.

He loosened his grip on her but did not release her from his hold. He realised she was shaking and tears were now falling unrestrainedly from her eyes, marring her rosy cheeks. Without thinking about his actions, Draco pulled her into him and wrapped his free arm around her tiny waist. Holding her close to him his shoulder stiffened as she unexpectedly dropped her head on his chest and went limp in his hold.

With a sigh and a feeling that things were fast spinning out of his control Draco turned and vanished on the spot.


	5. Chapter 5

**Dragon Heartstrings**

* * *

_**Chapter Five**_

**THE** moment his feet met solid ground, Draco felt as if his normally, perfectly regulated world had been turned upside down. So he inhaled deeply, all in the hopes of regaining some sort of semblance to who he was when his senses immediately registered the unique scent of Ginny surrounding him, and his mind was left completely boggled again.

Draco had been worried that his wards might not have allowed him to apparate directly inside his home with Ginny in tow but apparently his magic did not garner any negative intentions from her.

Draco looked down at the tiny witch in his arms and knew that, like his wards, Ginny was not someone who could ever harbour evil thoughts. She was as gentle as the petals she smelled like, delicate and beautiful. Yet Draco was not so dense as to think that she was completely helpless. Inside she possessed a strength that would never allow her to be crushed.

He had half expected her to push him away the moment they entered his home, cursing him for his inappropriate actions, however she remained safely ensconced within his arms. Her hands were almost turning an ugly shade of yellow from still being fisted around his shirt, her forehead lowered against his chest but Draco was glad her quivering had subsided.

"Ginny?" He said softly, her name no longer sounding odd coming from him and he suspected she needed the safety of familiarity right then.

Something Draco was trying to understand. The little he knew about Ginny Weasley did not corroborate with what he had seen today. Given Gip had been somewhat of a danger and Ginny had been unarmed without her wand, however from the moment Gip had touched her she had started to shake.

Draco knew Ginny to be a strong and fiery witch, powerful and determined. She never used to take hogwash from anyone at Hogwarts, even he could attest to that. He could swear that he could still feel the sting of her infamous, mastered Bat Bogey hex every time he thought about it. The bloody curse that had made him afraid to look into a mirror for days on end in his fifth year.

Then why was Ginny allowing him, a man he knew she despised on principle alone, help her? Feeling empathy for him and assisting _him _when he had needed it was what she did, was who she was, but Draco also knew that she had too much pride to accept any kind of help from _him_.

Something along the way did not add up. Draco could probably argue that she had been so badly shaken by Gip that she had taken comfort in someone she at least knew and whom – for all his faults – would never try to defile her in a way that Gip had. That however led him to ask why she had been so terrified by Gip's actions. Given being in that position for any female was disastrous, but Ginny had seemed weak, unable to contain herself long enough for self preservation to kick in.

It could have been that Draco was asking himself so many questions about Ginny because he was unsure of why he had personally involved himself in her dilemma in the first place, and then brought her back to his home of all places. After all he wasn't personally interested in her. That was ridiculous.

His dwelling, the little flat he lived in when in England had become his home after Voldemort had desecrated Malfoy Manor. Draco could scarcely stay at the Manor now without being haunted by some of his weakest moments in time and if it was one thing Draco refused to be any longer, it was weak. His flat was his little retreat, his place away from it all and he could count on one hand the number of people who had visited his humble abode. Bringing Ginny into his home seemed like a grave error on his part and disrupted his thoughts far more than he liked.

Then he felt Ginny inhale and exhale against him. Her warm breath seeping through the material of his shirt and instantly Draco felt the need to loosen his collar with his finger. She looked up at him, brown eyes shimmering like polished opals and he could not look away from her. He watched her blink a few times as if to rid the weakness from her gaze and herself, then she stood up straighter, slowly releasing his shirt before she took a step back. Although, when she met his gaze he could see now what he hadn't been able to place before? Pain.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have burdened you like this." She said shakily as she took a step back. "I overacted. I should go."

Draco could see she was uncomfortable over her emotional state and that seemed more like the woman he thought her to be. Expected her to be from what little he knew of her. Then again, a lot of time had passed since Hogwarts and much could change in seven years. Even though she didn't look a day older than sixteen in her vulnerable state she was a grown woman who could take care of herself.

Only Draco felt the desire to protect her burning inside his veins like liquid fire. An advocate he had never been privy to before, except maybe in the case of his mother, and he quarrelled with this new found passion. Worse still was the need almost to have her to _want_ him to protect her. He had never felt this way before and yet he had known her for years prior to meeting her in France.

He had despised her family and everything she had stood for but here he was, holding her securely in his embrace, standing in the heart of his sanctuary while he shielded her from whatever was haunting her. Draco wasn't one for sentimental tripe but it possibly could be because she reminded him of … well himself.

She resembled the old Draco, the one who had been lost and unsure of where he had wanted to go in life. He had felt unhappy with his stagnant life but unable to see a way past it without facing the worst of his past, because he knew coming back would mean either letting go, giving in or making amends.

Which brought Draco full circle in his contemplation of Ginny Weasley. What made her the way she was now? Only a reflection of her true self.

She broke eye contact with him and Draco felt his mind being drawn back into the present. Ginny looked down pointedly and Draco followed her train of sight to find his hands were still gripping her around her waist. He didn't let go though.

"Enough of the mysterious rubbish, Ginny, tell me what's really going on here." He saw her eyes widen but Draco felt like he deserved the truth.

More so, maybe, just maybe, a small part of him – a very minuscule part that he had no idea how it had come to be or what it meant really – _wanted_ to know who she was now.

* * *

Ginny shifted uncomfortably as she tried to regain her bearings. It was uncomfortable being in a house with Malfoy of all people. She could not believe that she had allowed herself to become so exposed and incapable of defending herself.

She felt stupid suddenly and her face burned red. She saw Draco's grey eyes narrow piercingly at her and Ginny thought she would hyperventilate from embarrassment. So she turned around quickly to avoid his gaze and was relieved when he finally let go of her. Not because she hadn't liked him holding her but because she had enjoyed it a little too much.

Ginny wanted to still be angry at Draco for his medieval behaviour earlier on but if he hadn't helped her, whether she had been made to ask him to or not, then she shuddered to think what sort of predicament she would have found herself in at a later stage. Then Draco had refused to leave her alone after she had stormed away from him and Ginny believed that he wouldn't have done so if he hadn't been even just a little remorseful for his behaviour. After all, how many times had she acted from impulse alone when someone had angered or offended her and then later regretted it? He may not have wanted to apologise for who he was, but Ginny felt like Draco's actions contradicted the selfish git he claimed to be.

"I'll be in the kitchen making some tea then." Draco said after a long pause when she still refused to turn around and look at him. "The bathroom is in my bedroom."

Ginny nodded and turned her head slightly to the side so she could politely acknowledge him and so she could see where he had pointed to. She was in need of the personal space his bathroom would afford her. After another second of feeling Draco's eyes on the back of her head she heard the click of his shoes across the marble floors around her.

Thank, Merlin, Draco had been thoughtful enough to let her gather her wits about her. Ginny allowed herself a small smile at the thought. Who would have ever guessed that _she_ would use the word thoughtful when thinking of Malfoy.

Finally she took in her surroundings. It was a spacious lounge, Spartan style. Large glass windows and white walls. Modern, but it spoke warmly of a home only in a modest undertone of a bachelor and immeasurable wealth. Not something she had expected Draco Malfoy to live in. Pure gold statues and indoor water fountains came to mind for a pretentious wizard like Draco, but as much as Ginny tried to reconcile the two Draco's in her mind, she could not. It seemed like all her memories of her arrogant saviour had been compartmentalised into to two different people now and all the bad from his past, try as it might to remind her of why she shouldn't actually think better of him, couldn't poisonously infect the Draco of Ginny's present.

As Ginny's mind worked continuously around all her notions about Draco, while trying to make sense if it all, her eyes moved over his home with keen curiosity and she could see small items that added a personal touch to the room. Frames she was too far away to make out, small ornaments that looked like collectable relics placed on empty surfaces so his home did not feel bare but did not look cluttered either.

His expensive taste was understated and classy, again not something she had expected from him. Although the large fireplace with beautiful tapestries on either side of it seemed like an indulgent touch but combined with a thick – Persian? – rug, the lounge seemed warm and welcoming. Like Draco's arms had been.

Ginny frowned. That thought did not sit well with her and so she told herself that it came only from a place of need and vulnerability. She had been accosted by unfortunate circumstances that had left her open and raw. It had been a little overwhelming to be back in England and be reminded that Fred and Harry and so many others weren't around any longer.

"That's it." Ginny said convincingly to herself.

Then to have an utter arse like Gip harass her had brought horrible memories about a nasty incident, one that she liked to keep buried, swarming back and she had crumbled. She had become paralysed with fright, stuck in the past when she thought she had thoroughly gotten over her fear and the feelings that had dementedly haunted her after the war. Ginny realised that some incidents of late, maybe more so the _excitement_ – for a lack of a better word – Draco had re-introduced into her life from his trip to France, had opened up some old wounds for her. She would have to set up an appointment with her therapist soon.

Realising that before she spoke to anyone, she needed to deal with her current situation and so Ginny made her way reluctantly into Draco's bedroom. His walls were clear and pristinely white, nothing personal adorning them. It felt much too sterile for a bedroom, a place where you slept in and ideally came to find peace and warmth in. Then again, she wasn't there to judge Draco's décor.

Up until that point Ginny had made a concerted effort to avoid looking at the bed. However she had to walk straight past it to go into the en-suite. Ginny felt her cheeks warm of their own accord. One corner of the room was occupied only with a large four poster bed. Dark mahogany curled upwards and a canopy of rich, black organza draped the ends, posing a bed fit for a Sultan.

She wondered then what kind of women Draco bought home for his nights against satin sheets and large white continental pillows placed neatly on the end of his bed. Because his bed was definitely designed for sharing, for seduction and certainly not for sleeping alone in. Everything about it screamed sex and she didn't have to have any experience on the matter to see that.

Ginny had always had an overactive imagination and she felt her thoughts already racing at the speed of light before she could even register any of them. Unbidden the images of Draco's pale limbs, muscles clenching in strain against the black sheets made Ginny bite her bottom lip as she saw her own tousled, red hair splayed across his pristine pillows with …

"Sweet, Merlin." Ginny gasped as she realised what she had just been imagining. Stifling an embarrassed groan Ginny turned away from the stupid bed and rushed over to the bathroom.

She was not completely saved though as Draco's bathroom captured Ginny's interest more so than his bed had. There was the normal shower cubicle in one end and the loo in one corner, but in the centre of the room was a large bath. It was round and simply decadent.

Ginny walked over towards it unable to help herself and touched the black marble with her fingers. She moaned as she thought how wonderful it must be to relax in that tub, shrouded with scented, soothing hot water. The silver taps seemed to wink in approval at her thoughts and Ginny felt the distinct urge to shed her clothes and oblige them. Merlin knew she felt filthy enough with earlier's incidents but, how would that look if Draco came looking for her?

At that very real possibility she turned her back on the bath and hastily walked towards the basin and round mirror above it. Ginny splashed some cold water on her face before she grabbed a towel from the rail nearby. The moment she pressed the cloth to her face she could smell Draco. His scent was everywhere around the house but in the rich terry cloth of that towel it was like being held close against his chest again, listening to the rapid beat of his heart and feeling his warm breath on her neck when his chin touched her head.

Ginny dropped the towel. She looked at herself in the mirror, her cheeks were flushed, her lips parted and she wondered what the hell was going on with her. A wild thought immediately crossed her mind and Ginny felt herself become hot with fear. What if Gip's love potion was somehow affecting her? Then Ginny realised how ridiculous that sounded. She was a trained Healer and should know that love potions weren't outwardly contagious.

Ginny gripped the ends of the sink and hunched above it, trying to breathe back her sanity and chase her unjustifiable thoughts away. She pulled out the hair band loosely holding her hair now and ran her fingers through it to try and settle her appearance slightly, to give herself more confidence.

She left the brilliant bathroom behind, almost running past Draco's bed when something caught her eye. There was a large canvas fixed onto the wall facing the other side of the bed and it halted Ginny in her tracks. There was something so striking about the picture before her even though there was no discernible image that Ginny could make out.

Still, Ginny had to tilt her head to the side and allow herself a moment to admire its beauty, even though she didn't know much about fancy artwork. Its background was pitch black and at the centre of it was a splash of pure white, but what Ginny found most captivating were the hues of striking violet surrounding the whirlwind of colour at the centre. The brush strokes made it seem like the cloud of colour had an expression drawn into to.

Ginny stepped closer towards the painting and she felt a strange sense of peace and calm well at the centre of her being, almost like those first few moments before surrendering into slumber. What she was most captivated by though was wherever the deep purple touched the white; the coal black background seemed to create an uninhibited burst of something that Ginny couldn't quite pin down. Yet she knew it was something more than a simple artifice of an expensive painting.

It took her a while to realise she was still staring at Draco's painting and she finally made her way towards the kitchen. She watched from the doorway as Draco set out a fancy teapot and porcelain cups on a tray with scrumptious looking biscuits. It was a slightly amusing sight that seemed to calm Ginny down more, as laughter always had and Ginny couldn't help the words that came forth from her impulsive mouth.

"You look very domesticated. Don't you have house elves for that?" She watched him turn around to look at her, his eyes assessing her and she was in no doubt as to what he was thinking but she was pleased when he let it slide for the time being.

"Only an idiot would require an elf to make him a cup of tea, I am not one." Draco replied.

"You know, I'm starting to agree with that statement." Ginny offered him a hesitant smile and she was pleased when he set down the tray on a breakfast island in the middle of the kitchen without commenting on her compliment.

He waved an elegant hand at a stool and Ginny went over to sit across from him. She felt faintly uncomfortable with her dishevelled appearance and the smell of St Mungos clinging to her clothes. When you were a Healer you always came home with the stench of potions and sometimes worse things on you. She hoped that the worse things weren't distinguishable on her that day.

Ginny took a sip of her tea while Draco watched her intently. The silence was slowing starting to bother her as she had never normally been one for the quiet. So she took a biscuit from the tray and bit into it to keep her mouth busy. All the while Draco studied her over the rim of his cup and Ginny squirmed in her seat.

She had always thought that Draco didn't have eyes that were beautiful; nothing striking that caught your attention right away. That would probably be the pale blonde head of hair that would always command attention first but Ginny realised she had been wrong. When she did look at Draco's eyes they were demanding and piercing. Like cold steel that could see right through anything, and it unnerved her.

"Stop that." She said suddenly and when Draco arched an eyebrow at her she realised that she had spoken out aloud. Her face immediately heated and she shuffled awkwardly in her seat. Stupid man.

"Stop what, exactly?" He was ever so cool and collected and Ginny had the strangest urge to know what he would be like when ruffled up a bit.

"Nothing." Ginny muttered and sipped more of her tea. Because really, what could she say? Stop staring at me, don't look at me. All of which sounded so churlish.

"If it's nothing, then why don't you tell me why you were reduced to a mental shrieking case today?"

Ginny flinched but Draco looked unapologetically over at her and she knew he was not going to allow her to keep silent on the matter any longer. She also felt that he deserved that much for helping her today and so she nodded in acceptance, speaking before she lost her nerve.

"After the war my parents thought it would be a good idea for me to get away for a while. My sister-in-law Fleur had family in France who was willing to help me out until I was able to take care of myself."

Ginny looked into her cup as she spoke, her fingers tracing the intricate patterns on the side of the delicate porcelain. "However I went a little … _wild_ when I first arrived. I turned to drinking and partying because I couldn't handle the grief from the war. Some of the magical places there were very exotic and exciting, not like anything we have here. I was drawn in, intoxicated and I started to lose sight of trying to rebuild my life."

Ginny finally lifted her head to meet Draco's gaze. She couldn't read anything in his eyes. His expression was completely blank and she sighed in relief. He wasn't judging her and it allowed her to continue her story more confidently.

Ginny shrugged. "Once, the sadness weighed down on me worse than the other days. I went to this place alone and I over did it some. There was this guy and he just said all the right things, did all the right things. He was charming and smart and funny and he was just …"

"There." Draco finished for her and his voice was thick with understanding even though his face was stony.

Ginny nodded, finding it easier and easier to speak to Draco as she went along. He was a good listener and it was obvious that she hadn't needed to tell Draco about all the men she had flirted with and teased while she was going through her "little phase" as her family had called it, but he knew. She had been mourning for Harry and trying to replace him. It had taken Ginny a while to realise she couldn't ever replace Harry.

"Yes, well that didn't go exactly as planned. I realised I didn't really want my first time to be like that but the wizard got a little upset … and well it was horrible. I was so drunk I could barely even defend myself. I got lucky though, Fleur's sister was worried about me and she came over to find me. That was when I realised I needed to get off my path fast or I would have ended up in worse places. Of course, it seems as if the incident still has some staying power with me." Ginny ended with a self depreciating smile.

"Sometimes the things we can't have hold us back the most." Draco said a while after Ginny had spoken and she was surprised he had said anything at all, let alone something so … _philosophical_.

When Ginny looked up at Draco again she felt raw and exposed to his intelligent grey eyes. They were so knowing and even though they were not judgemental she felt unearthed when she realised how much of herself she had only just moments ago bared to him. It was more than she had even said to some of her closest female friends.

"I should go." Ginny stood with as much poise and dignity as she could without seeming like she was fleeing. "Thank you, for everything." She said softly and gathered up her cup and saucer, from years of living with her mother, to take over to the sink.

"Leave it." Draco said and his soft drawl brooked no argument but Ginny felt slightly abashed since she had already picked up the dishes.

"It's fine." She said awkwardly. She placed the saucer into the sink softly because the last thing she wanted to do was break something that looked like it had cost more gold than her entire flat.

Ginny gasped, still slightly unsettled from earlier, when she turned around to find Draco right in front of her. He was tall and the flat pumps she reserved for work only allowed her to reach his chest. A broad chest that had been warm and comforting. She had actually rested her head there earlier on and then Ginny's eyes widened. There were two slightly off coloured patches on his shirt.

Without thinking about what she was doing she automatically placed her fingers on a wet patch and looked up guiltily at Draco. "I'm sorry, I don't normally go around wetting people's shirts."

His eyes were still fixed onto her hand that was lightly placed onto his chest and Ginny immediately snatched it away. That was completely inappropriate.

"I'm relieved." He said sarcastically when he finally looked at her, although his voice had no bite to it and his eyes, that close she could see was alight with amusement.

"Are you laughing at me?" The words fell from her mouth without consciously thinking about what she was saying.

He smirked then, his eyes crinkling with amusement and Ginny couldn't deny how attractive he was. "Only some of you." He said softly and his whisper sent her heart into overdrive.

Ginny bit her lip disconcertedly. Was Draco Malfoy teasing her? She had never seen this side of him before but it appeared that he was not as one dimensional as she had originally thought him to be. After all, he had changed, his life made a difference in the magical community now and he kept it a secret. He didn't boast about it as she would have expected him to. Even though Draco certainly didn't dress or act like an average earner, he also didn't go around flaunting how everyone was benefiting from his wealth, lording it over others to remind them how much better he was compared to them.

"And the other parts of me?" Ginny didn't know what possessed her to ask but she realised then that she wanted to know what he thought about her.

Her question seemed to remind Draco of where he was and his eyes immediately shuttered and he took a step back from her. It was as if Ginny could breathe and think clearly again. Although she was ashamed to think that she was disappointed by his sudden detachment.

"I came to see you today because I wanted to repay you for your kindness after La Magiguérir." He said fluidly and he almost sounded professional then.

It irritated Ginny but she scolded herself for her silly behaviour. "I think after today, there's no need for that." Then something else occurred to Ginny. "And I have something of yours."

She noticed Draco raising one eyebrow at that declaration while she reached for the inside of her top. She pulled out the gold chain she always wore now with his ring fastened around it. She reached around with both hands to unhook the chain when Draco finally noticed his ring on the bottom of the chain.

"No." Draco said quickly and his hands automatically went to her own, that were still in the thickness of her hair at the nape of her neck. He was close to her again and she could smell that cool smell he emanated. The one she had had to wait for days on end to get rid off from her home. His fingers were long and slender but undeniably strong. "Keep it." He said. "It was all I had to give at the time."

Ginny frowned. "I'm sure this is worth loads. So why would you still want to repay me?"

Draco smirked. "There's no need to sound so suspicious, Ginny. I am a very generous man." Ginny's breath caught at the way he said her name.

She wondered at what point Weasley and Malfoy had turned into Ginny and Draco respectively but it seemed impossible after there meeting in La Magiguérir and at St Mungos that they would not have crossed some line from dislike to … well she wasn't exactly sure where they stood now, only that she didn't think of him as an outright prat any longer. Friends may be too much though. Acquaintances?

"I don't feel right keeping something like this. I didn't help you for any kind of financial repayment." Draco brought her hands down slowly but she noticed that he still held onto her wrists. Could he feel the erratic flutter of her pulse there?

"I know that. Or you would have sold the ring by now and not worn it to return it to me." Ginny could only nod. Why was it that whenever he was that close to her, her brain seemed to turn to mush? "I also think you were hoping to see me again." His tone was casual but confident.

Ginny nodded before she could stop herself and immediately shook her head, eyes wide with realisation of what she had just agreed to. "No, I was going to hand it over to the Goblins at Gringotts to return to you. I wear it for safe keeping and only just remembered now, and well I thought I could give it to you personally instead ..." Ginny trailed off her ramblings uncomfortably. It was the truth though.

Draco smirked and she could see a hint of arrogance in the movement of his lips. Her cheeks flamed and she thought that he was a bit of an arse at that moment but she couldn't completely convince herself of the notion when he was still holding her hands and was so close to her that she could feel his breath caressing her face.

Ginny licked her lips and she saw his eyes move to her tongue as it flicked out. She felt a sense of de javu, but could not place the similarities while something roiled in Draco's eyes like grey storm clouds gathering in the sky.

Suddenly the silence between them was too loud and Ginny's heart beat was all she could hear in her ears then. She stood on the tip of her toes and pressed her lips against his without completely thinking about her actions in that moment. All she knew then was that she had never before wanted to kiss someone more than she had wanted to kiss Draco in that moment. His lips were full and sensual but firm and unyielding. She exhaled against him.

Before Ginny could think twice about what exactly she was doing or moving away, Draco's fingers were in her hair, his hands holding her head to his mouth so he could kiss her properly.

Her eyelids fluttered as the intensity of his kiss made her eyes want to roll back from pleasure. Ginny didn't know what she had expected from it really, but in that moment it had seemed like the right thing to do. They were standing there, close to one another and it was obvious there was a natural chemistry that surrounded them.

Ginny was not a naïve little girl, completely oblivious to the opposite sex simply because her experience did not extend as far as a normal twenty-three year's old, but something akin to desire had flickered in Draco's eyes when he had looked at her. If not, then he would have already let go of her by now. Ginny gasped when he deepened their kiss, the feel of his masculine lips moving over hers and his tongue gently coaxing her lips apart. It was cajoling yet practised and when Draco kissed her it was like something more.

It was strong and demanding and she was powerless to resist. His tongue slipped into her mouth and Ginny moaned low in her throat. He kissed her as if he was trying to prove a point but the moment their tongues met a sound rumbled from within his chest as if he were purring in undulated satisfaction. Ginny realised she knew this because her palms were placed flat against him. She could feel their kiss as much as she could taste the cool hint of mint in his mouth that lightly breezed through the sweetness of his tea. How much sugar does he take?

But it was wrong. It felt so good but oh it was just all so wrong. Then Draco's fingers circled her scalp –_ oh!_ – massaging her head as his mouth worked over hers and tingles shot straight through to her brain incinerating every doubt she might have had.

As if sensing her reluctance his kissing became slower and tasting when Ginny felt she could handle no more, as if he were simply refusing to let her go and she sighed into him, her hands moving over his chest to wrap around his neck in physical approval of his actions. His tongue rolled around her own as if he had not expected a kiss to be that good and Ginny understood. Because she realised then that the warmth and joy one would normally feel in a kiss was miniscule between them. Ginny and Draco's kisses was searing and encompassing. It was a burning need and she realised she was experiencing desire for the very first time. Not even Harry had kissed her that way before. A way that made her knees weak and toes curl.

But Harry had been secure and sweet, Ginny felt obligated to reason. Although she kept thinking of the feel of Draco's arms around her earlier and the warmth his hard and strong body radiated now. He felt safe and secure too.

When Draco lifted his head Ginny's mouth was still pouting, lips swollen from his kisses and eyes still closed. That was not a kiss though. It was called being thoroughly snogged. She had not been wrong about him. Draco was a man who knew how to entice a woman. Ginny had also been right about them together. There was undeniably chemistry between them and apparently there was now passion there too.

Although this was Draco Malfoy. Even if he had changed and he could snog like the devil himself, he used to be bad. He was probably sin incarnate by just the sexual fantasies she was having of him after just one kiss. He was still so dark and mysterious and he was the complete opposite of what she had always liked in a wizard. _'Oh Merlin, what have I gotten myself into?'_

It seemed like Draco must have had the same doubts and misgivings as Ginny because with his lips removed from hers, he immediately stepped back from her and turned his back on her. Ginny's shoulders sank and she bit her lip. Did he regret their kiss? Great Gryffindor, who would have thought snogging someone could be so complicated, have so many layers to it. That should have been Ginny's first warning that nothing between her and Draco would ever be easy. However Ginny had never been one to back down from a challenge before, if anything it spurred her on more.

When Draco turned to face her again it was like he had used the time away from her gaze to don a mask of indifference on. He had snogged her silly and was now acting as if it had never happened. She didn't understand it.

"I'll see you out." He said coldly and he might as well have slapped her.

Indignant anger flared around Ginny and all the wonderful sensations that had blazed within her moments ago fizzled out. "Don't bother. I can see myself out."

Ginny stormed out of the kitchen and made her way through to his lounge. She had no idea where she was but she could apparate back home from outside his place. She was certain of that as most magical homes allowed for that much at least.

Ginny hesitated at the door. She felt like some discarded toy that the rich and powerful Malfoy had played with and bored of. Like she was being packed off to some charity case and it grated on her nerves. That was not her. She may not be like the worldly women Draco might like to entertain and thrust aside afterwards, but she had too much dignity to be reduced to that.

Ginny deserved to know what the hell had just occurred between them; just as much as he'd had the right to ask her what had happened to her today after he had helped her. Making up her mind Ginny turned around to make her way back into the kitchen when she found that it was unnecessary. Draco stood in the lounge now, watching her with wariness. His hair was slightly dishevelled and he looked a bit anxious. As if he shouldn't have been doing this.

"I think I deserve to know what the hell just happened here." Ginny demanded.

He shrugged inconsequentially and it annoyed her as much as that classic smirk of his did. "It was some senseless snogging." Yet Ginny couldn't believe that what they had just shared was simply "senseless snogging". "May I remind you that it was you who instigated it, Weasley, so if you're looking for an apology – "

"I'm not looking for a bloody apology." Ginny interjected. "I want to know why you're pretending like it didn't happen. If it was a mistake then I expect you to have the courage to say it to my face. Or is that too much to ask, are you still a bit of a wuss deep down beneath all that layers of stone walls and impassiveness you claim comes from growing up?" Ginny steamed.

"Don't." Draco hissed and Ginny could see angry blots of light pink stain Draco's pale skin and she was pleased that he was now as irritated as she was. He took a threatening step towards her but Ginny held her ground.

"And since when did it become "Weasley" again?" She couldn't deny that being addressed that way bothered her immensely. It was as if Draco had taken away something important from her and Ginny didn't like the feeling of losing more.

That stunned Draco momentarily and his anger seemed to deflate before her but his jaw was still clenched tightly. He ran a hand threw his hair and Ginny immediately wished she had had the opportunity to do so before. She chastised herself for her wayward thoughts and she cursed Draco for derailing her. He was handsome and intriguing and there was something about him that made her want to unravel him.

Ginny wanted to see beneath all the cold layers of expensive silk and cotton he wore like a shield that he used to perceptibly cover his own vulnerability and pain. She wanted to understand what made him so contradicting now. At least at school he was simply a prejudiced sod, not evil but not good either, but now that she knew there was more to him than in the past, she was curious to know which was the real him.

For the longest time Draco and Ginny just stood and stared at one another. Ginny waiting for some kind of explanation and Draco debating whether he wanted to give it to her or not.

"I'm engaged." His straightforward words were like a nasty, poisonous potion Ginny had to drink.

Ginny swallowed and her throat burned from disappointment. It tasted sour and foul against her tongue and she wanted the ground to open up and swallow her whole. She had snogged someone who was not available and he had kissed her back.

Instead of stopping her, telling her he was engaged, in a committed relationship with someone else, he had kissed her. Snogged her in a way that didn't say; "hey, I'm engaged to another woman."

"Ginny …" Draco stepped forward and Ginny held up her hand to stop him. She closed her eyes and inhaled.

She realised that her name no longer sounded awkward coming from him. Yes, well snogging someone can do that, Ginny thought bitterly. Then she realised that her anger was misplaced. She wanted to be angry at Draco but she couldn't. She was really just upset with herself.

Regardless of the changes, he would always be a Malfoy and she was still a Weasley. They had no right to kiss in the first place. She had also acted slightly wanton and it could have been because her emotions were all over the place of late, especially after today's incident. Yes she definitely needed to visit her therapist again. But she had also felt safe and warm with Draco when he had helped her and brought her back here, made her tea and listened to her past with understanding. It had been misplaced emotions and wanting that had made her kiss him.

Chemistry or not, Ginny Wesley would have never kissed a Malfoy before. It was simply wrong. More so since he was engaged. If she wasn't so lonely and protective of herself nowadays then maybe she wouldn't still need to go around kissing people who showed her a little affection. Like some silly teenager with daddy issues.

"It's aright; it was as much my fault as yours." Ginny said softly and tried for a smile although it came out strained. She stopped the moment she realised Draco could see straight through her act. Then she sighed and looked up at him.

He didn't really look sorry and Ginny realised that this was one of those moments she was glad for. Those "I would have regretted it more if I hadn't done it" times when she knew she had unquestionably wanted to kiss him. Yes, snogging Draco had been a terrible idea and it was still becoming more complicated by the second but at least she had done it. Right?

"Do you love her?" She didn't know where the question had come from, maybe from a place that wanted to know that someone who was engaged, had what she didn't have. That he was blissfully happy and in love, planning to spend the rest of his life with his fiancée. Or maybe Ginny was just interested in knowing if Draco could love someone either than himself.

Draco frowned. "I care about her, but ours was an arranged marriage from during the war." Draco sighed and raked his fingers through his hair. "Love isn't something I bother with."

Ginny nodded. She had gotten away easy then. Draco was not for her. "Well I wish you all the best then." Ginny said sincerely and she realised then that she meant it. There were other reasons to marry rather than for love but those reasons were not for her.

She turned to go but Draco reached out to her. She gulped as his fingers seemed to instantly ignite something inside of her. That stupid kiss. She turned around to look at him. His face was scrunched up and he looked like he had just chewed on something particularly bitter and nasty.

"I didn't mean for this to happen." He said softly and Ginny believed him.

It wasn't his making that had led him to La Magiguérir the night she had been working there, or that the hospital had been attacked that day. She had agreed to help him because he wasn't a stranger she could have just left out in the cold with serious injuries still to heal. He had come in search of her to repay her but circumstances had asked that he help her instead, and in the end, he had.

Ginny nodded and smiled. She was about to tell him that it was fine when the flames in his fireplace roared a bright green. A woman stepped outside the grate looking tall and elegant in her olive coloured robes and spindly designer heels, a snakeskin handbag in her manicured hands.

Draco let go of Ginny's arm and turned around to look at the newcomer. Ginny immediately knew who the woman was. Her thick brown hair swept into an elegant chignon and her face lightly dusted with makeup, that enhanced her dainty features was utterly bewildered at seeing Ginny there.

Draco's fiancée had just arrived.


End file.
